Notes in the Key of LIfe
by Gottahavemyncis
Summary: Canon diversion for S17 episodes, AU, Spoiler for S17, Ep 1, 2. In the middle of the ruins of Gibbs' home, with Gibbs out of contact, Tim learns something that brings about changes in his life, some earth-shattering. A McGee-centric story including current cast, recurring characters, a few of my OCs. Non-canon death of a recurring character. Disclaimer is on my profile.
1. Chapter 1

If you're not familiar with my Tim sagas, take a peek at my profile on fan fic net for my personal Tim McGee canon. I also have a group of original characters that usually appear, but I'll only use a few in this one. Some of them have already appeared in the first three chapters, NCIS agents Rick Carter, Jim O'Brien as well as former shelter manager Luella (Lu) Morgan and the pack of friends who are really Tim's extended family, brothers, including Rob, Geordie, Bill, Barry, Freddie and Jose (aka Joe). There are a few new OCs in this story but with the possible exception of the two agents on Tim's team, they'll only be in this story. So…don't worry about the names, please!

Notes in the Key of Life

Chapter 1

Tim McGee crouched down, retrieving yet another piece of evidence in Gibbs' living room, or what had been his living room. It was a mess, the entire first floor, a large portion of the staircase to the second floor, the stairs to the basement and the basement itself were shot to hell. Worse, there was blood in the basement and although there wasn't a lot, it still meant someone had been hit. This wasn't the first time Gibbs' house had been attacked but to Tim it felt worse and he wasn't sure why.

Grimacing when his phone chimed, he looked at the caller ID, quickly accepting the call from Bethesda Hospital, his gut roiling and his heart thumping. He was on Gibbs' notification list when he was injured. He'd moved up the list as first Ziva, then Tony, then Abby left. Ducky was the first one on the list and since their return from Paraguay, Tim was second. Gibbs trusted them to notify the Director.

What he heard on the call was far more personal and in shock, he turned to leave, catching the eye of Evan Fuller. With the house as damaged as it was, Tim had asked for Fuller's help. He no longer felt he could trust Bishop to do the job as thoroughly as it should be. She had a disturbing tendency to reach her own conclusions without voicing or discussing them with anyone else and go haring off on her own.

As he ran out the door, he called out, "Fuller, you're in charge. Bishop, Torres, do what he says. I have a family emergency."

Torres opened his mouth to say something but shut it when he saw his Senior Field Agent's face. Instead he turned and nodded to Fuller.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

Tim prayed all the way to the hospital. For once there were no crashes, no construction zones shutting down lanes and he covered the 24 miles in 37 minutes, a personal best.

Once there, he found a parking space within a block of the entrance, another rare occurrence. In the lobby, he was told his wife was being prepared for surgery and he was needed to formally identify the other victim of the accident. A police officer escorted him to the morgue. After seeing his badge and agency ID, he told Tim what he could about the accident.

"From what I know, the other car blew a red light and was trying to turn left from the cross street, ramming into your wife's vehicle as she turned left from the main street onto the other side of the cross street. Your wife must have seen him, looks like she might have sped up, so the hit wasn't square on the front passenger side of the car. However, the other woman, your mother-in-law?" Tim nodded and the man continued, "Still took most of the impact. I'm sorry."

"Was she declared dead at the scene or here?"

"Here."

They walked into the outer and then inner doors of the morgue. Thankfully feeling numb, Tim identified his mother-in-law, Elizabeth Ava Brown Fielding Sprague, and signed all the forms, selecting the Slater Funeral Home for her funeral. That was Breena's family's business and he knew they would take good care of everything. Asking for a moment, he stood by Elizabeth's body, praying for his wife who'd been badly injured in the crash.

When he turned to go, he was handed his mother-in-law's personal effects. He asked to leave them at the morgue as his wife was in surgery and he wouldn't leave the hospital until she was at least in recovery. He did remove the contents of her wallet, driver's license, health insurance cards, money, credit cards, a gift card they'd given her for her birthday last month, photos of the twins, a sheet of postage stamps, coupons and a somewhat tattered lottery ticket, leaving the rest to be temporarily stored.

The officer walked him back up to the lobby where a volunteer gave him directions to the waiting room for those who had family or friends in surgery.

Before he went upstairs, he made a few calls. One to Director Vance to let him know he would be here at the hospital for several hours, another to Delilah's boss at the Department of Defense, a third call to Mrs. Webster, who took care of the twins when neither Tim nor Delilah could get home before the daycare closed, a fourth call to Jimmy, with Ducky also listening in, to tell him about Elizabeth and his hope that the Slaters would take care of her. The next call was to Gibbs' cell but no one answered. He left a message, although he didn't tell him about the accident.

His last call, for now, was to Luella Morgan in Baltimore. The manager of the shelter he and his siblings had stayed in during their childhood remained a good friend, known as 'Grandma Lu' to the twins, and he didn't want to be alone. When Lu heard the news, she said she'd be there in a half hour.

With both his sister and younger brother studying in the UK, Tim decided to send them an email later, once he knew Delilah's condition. The call from the hospital said 'critically' injured and he prayed that the shrapnel still embedded in her body from the Gala attack hadn't been affected.

While he waited, he returned to the first floor, checking to ensure Gibbs had not been admitted here. His badge and his name on the man's medical notification list helped with that and he walked away at least knowing Gibbs hadn't been a patient here.

Before going back upstairs, he spotted a coffee cart outside and bought a large cup of dark brew. Finally in the waiting room, he picked up a magazine he used to read regularly, before the twins were born. Now he couldn't focus on it and was glad when Lu arrived, surprised and happy to see his friend Bill, the quietest of their extended family, with her.

Both gave him hugs and Bill handed him a tablet.

"Here, that's mine. My girlfriend left hers the other night so I brought that for me."

Tim nodded. Lu pulled out a Kindle and the three of them sat down together, trying to keep busy as they waited.

Ten minutes later, Tim stood up again and Bill went out into the corridor with him. "Want to talk about what happened?"

"You know Dee's mom died in the crash?"

"Yes, Lu told me. I'm sorry, she was a nice lady."

Tim nodded, "Thanks, she was and I loved her, so did the twins."

"Any chance you'll take some time to go see the kids?"

"I thought about it but it takes too long to get back and forth. They're at the day care center until 1800, then Mrs. Webster will pick them up and take them home with her. They've done that several times so I'm hoping they won't be upset, or more upset than usual. She'll send a text when they're at her place and I'll call them, have some FaceTime with them. I hope I'll know more about Delilah by then, so I can tell them when she's coming home. They might only be two years old, or just about, but they always seem to know when there's something going on."

"Smart kids, get that from their parents."

The two men looked up, startled at the comment, to find Ducky standing there. "I had to come, Timothy. Hello, Bill. Has there been any word yet?"

"No, Ducky. I'm glad you're here."

"Since she's not an employee of NCIS, I don't know if I'll be given the same courtesies I have been in the past, but I'll try. With any luck, her employment with the DoD will help."

"Thank you."

Ducky patted his arm, nodding to Bill as he turned away.

When Lu joined the two men, Tim told the others what he knew about the accident. As they were quietly talking, Delilah's boss called, hoping for news and wanting to help in any way. Tim told him about Ducky's mission to find information and thanked him for his offer of help.

"I don't know what all this is going to mean; how long she'll be here or off work."

"Don't worry about that, Tim. We'll always have work for her, you, too, should you ever decide to leave NCIS. I just meant, well, you're right, you won't know until the doctors give you more information."

"I'll let you know."

They disconnected, Tim running his hands through his hair. Biting back a smile, Bill, taller by a couple of inches, patted it back down again.

All three sighed in relief when the elevator disgorged Ducky. He hurried to them, "Let's find somewhere with some privacy."

Tim didn't like the sound of that but obediently followed his friend. When the good doctor updated him with the information he'd been given, Tim stared at him. "The shrapnel? What are they doing with it?"

"Very carefully trying to manipulate it away from her organs without doing any further damage. Timothy, I'm afraid this is much more serious than we thought. If they're not able to move enough pieces away from her internal organs, those pieces left will damage them."

"And she'll die if or when they damage her heart or kidneys."

"Or a few other scenarios, yes, my friend, I'm so sorry."

"Ducky, if they can't do it here, is there someone somewhere, a specialist, who can help? It's been a few years since her original injury, maybe there's been progress?"

"I don't know, Timothy. We can certainly pursue that. Now, they've stabilized or repaired her other injuries, her left ear was torn where it slammed into the window next to her, her right arm and foot are broken, several ribs are cracked or fractured and parts of the right lobe of her lungs are badly bruised. If they're successful in moving the shrapnel, then her surgery will run several more hours, as long as her vitals remain stable. If they're not successful, she'll be in recovery within 90 minutes."

"And then what?"

"We'll search for that specialist and pray that there is another means of helping her."

Tim thanked his friend, realizing how hard it must have been for the older man to hear and then have to relay the news. Already sitting, Tim buried his head in his hands. He knew he wasn't alone but right now he needed Gibbs. Closing his eyes, he concentrated on praying for his beleaguered wife, his children and his missing and possibly injured boss.

By the time Tim left the hospital late that night, he knew the worst. The shrapnel from Benham Parsa's attack was once again threatening her life and this time no one knew if there was any way to help. When he and Ducky asked about a specialist, one of the surgeons' frown had deepened. He finally said he'd read an article about a surgeon having some success removing shrapnel but would have to do some research to find it again. Once home and on his laptop, Tim quickly found the information online and read everything he could find on the doctor and the surgeries. The man's success was limited and he was particular about what patients he would treat. However, he did exist and he had saved lives. Not caring if he was ignoring niceties or medical protocols, Tim sent the man an email, begging him to review Delilah's case and operate on her.

After he'd sent that, he was calmer, continuing to pray for help. He sent an update to Director Vance, there was no way he could return to work in the morning, probably not the rest of the week. He saw and spoke with his children using FaceTime, reading them two stories, listened to them say their prayers and watched Mrs. Webster tuck them in. In the morning, he'd pick them up and spend part of the day with them. Then he'd take them to day care or to Mrs. Webster's. He'd already been told Delilah would be kept sedated for at least today and probably tomorrow.

Breena called to confirm that they'd transported Delilah's mother's body to the mortuary. When she asked about a service, he realized he had no idea what to do or when to have it, even who to invite. Dee would want to be there which didn't seem possible anytime soon. He finally told Breena he had no idea; he'd have to wait until his wife was conscious and well enough to think about a funeral for her mother. He knew Elizabeth didn't have any other relatives, the woman's only sibling had died the year before he met Dee and her husband, Dee's stepfather, died shortly after Dee returned from Dubai. Dee's father was alive, he was Fielding and the 'Charles' of Tim's son's middle name. Tim would call him.

By the time the twins were 18 months old, their personalities were becoming more established and they were learning new words seemingly every hour. Morgan, named for the man who'd sacrificed his life the day she was born, announced she didn't like her name and wanted to be called 'Lizbethanny' from now on. Eventually, she'd changed that to 'Lizbet' with 'Annie' as a second middle name. Accordingly, her name was now Morgan Lizbet Annie McGee. She also declared that her brother should be called 'Jace', pronounced 'Jase', for John Charles. The little boy, previously called 'Johnny', happily agreed. And so the twins became Jace and Lizzie, or Bets, although the little girl preferred Lizbet.

Tim's morning with the kids flew by too fast. He picked them up before they'd eaten breakfast, took them home and made them their favorite, scrambled eggs with cinnamon toast. He always cracked up with the cinnamon as his son and daughter called it 'cimmamen'. That was all right, they didn't have some of their sounds right yet. They called one grandmother Gwama Wiz and the other one Gwama Wu. So far, the only grandparent name they could pronounce was 'Poppy', Gibbs' name.

Explaining Delilah's absence was not easy, Tim told them their mommy had been hurt and was in the hospital. They knew about hospitals, they'd visited Mrs. Webster when she had her gall bladder out last summer. When told their mommy would be sleeping for a couple of days, they nodded, they remembered Mrs. Webster doing that too.

One of the things Tim did the night before was research kids' grief, what to tell them about Grandma Liz and how to help them. He'd also ordered a few books for more guidance. Mrs. Webster also offered to help. A retired preschool teacher, she was also the mother of 3 young adults and she hoped grandchildren were in her future. She teased that she was learning how to be a grandmother by taking care of the twins.

Remembering that, Tim took his babies back to her home in time for their afternoon nap, helping them lie down and cuddle with their favorite plush toys. Waiting until they'd dozed off, he sat down for a cup of coffee with Mrs. W. Telling her about the specialist on whom he was pinning all his hopes, Tim also asked her advice about the service for his mother-in-law. While Elizabeth didn't have relatives, she had close friends in Chicago, where she lived, and Tim realized now that he needed to let someone know. Her best friend was named Missy, 'Aunt Missy' to Dee. They had her contact information somewhere at home, he'd let her know and ask her to notify the others.

Finally Tim pried himself away from his sleeping children and drove to the hospital. As he parked and walked to the entrance, he was surprised to be joined by Director Vance. "Timothy, how are you doing?"

"I'm…I really don't know, sir. Maybe numb? Did Ducky tell you about Dee?"

"With your permission, yes. I made a phone call or two, that specialist you found is a former Navy physician. Have you heard back from him yet?"

Tim quickly checked his email before shaking his head. "Not yet. Is there any word about Gibbs?"

"No, sorry. Although we have confirmed his visitor was Ziva."

"I know he wasn't seen as a patient here. I'm on his notification and medical proxy lists so I was able to get that information. I hope that means he isn't injured and not that he's ignoring his injuries or went somewhere else."

"I also hope that he's able to make those decisions, McGee. From what recent information I've heard about Ziva, she's…well let's say she's changed a great deal. Or maybe reverted to her former self."

Tim took a deep breath, muttering something rude in Hebrew no less, about his former teammate. "I wish I could help but…"

"You have your hands full as it is. How are the kids?"

"They're upset that Dee's hurt, can't come home and they can't come to see her. And I haven't told them about their grandmother yet. I did some research about handling kids' grief and fears when they're so young but I still don't know how I'm going to tell them. I know what I need to say but not how because until I know more about Dee, I can't give them the time they'll need."

"Perhaps you could ask Mrs. Webster or Ms. Morgan for help."

Tim nodded, he liked the idea of asking Grandma Lu. He just hoped the kids didn't ask for their poppy.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

The answer from the specialist came that afternoon, a conditional 'yes'. He wanted to talk with his potential patient but when told she was still sedated, he settled for speaking with Tim, at least until Delilah recovered consciousness.

The doctor wanted to know Delilah's general outlook and health prior to the accident and what she'd done since the bombing. Tim told him about Dubai, their marriage, her pregnancy and delivery of the twins. He also talked about her work, although nothing too specific. He gave him the contact information for Dee's boss and then sent the man a text that a potential medical specialist for Delilah might be contacting him.

Told that Dee wouldn't be weaned off the sedation until early the next morning, Tim picked up their little ones and took them home. While they were playing in their backyard, Tim sat outside watching them. Finding the contact information for Aunt Missy, he called her. She was horrified at the news about Liz and her honorary niece Delilah. Once she understood the situation, she asked if Tim would consider having Liz shipped home so her friends could give her a proper farewell. Knowing it would be weeks, if ever, before Dee could attend any kind of service, Tim agreed. He'd already discussed the idea with Mrs. Slater, Breena's mother, Lu and Mrs. Webster and all approved, saying that seemed the best solution and the kindest thing Tim could do for his mother-in-law.

Once that was in the works, Tim could concentrate on his wife and children. Friday morning when Tim arrived at the hospital, Dee was beginning to wake. He spoke softly to her as she struggled to regain full consciousness, the medical staff close at hand to provide help as needed.

Once she was fully awake, the medical staff evaluated her, assessing her pain levels. After she was given enough pain meds to be somewhat comfortable, she looked at her husband.

"Did we get hit by a car?"

"Yes, sweetie. The other driver was drunk and ran the red light, hit you broadside."

"Mom! She was with me, is she all right?"

"I'm so sorry, Delilah, she didn't make it." He comforted her the best he could, telling her about Breena taking care of Elizabeth and her Aunty Missy's request for her friend to be returned home.

"Did you agree?"

"Yes, I did. I didn't know how soon you'd be able to attend a service or feel like putting anything together and I felt it was what Liz would want."

"Do you know when their service will be?"

"I don't, but I'll find out. Maybe we can attend via FaceTime or Skype."

"I won't be able to go? Not even if it's next week?"

Tim shook his head. "No, hon. You have broken bones, fractured ribs and a badly contused lung. Your body is pretty messed up."

Her primary physician walked in. "Excuse me. Good morning, Delilah, I'm glad to see you awake."

"Thanks, Dr. Brady."

"I was sorry to hear about your mother."

"Tim just told me, I'm still in shock."

"I can imagine. Now, despite the sad news, you, Tim and I have some things to talk about as soon as possible. I need to tell you what's going on with your body and make sure you understand. Then I believe there are decisions to be made."

Tim wanted to scream at her to stop talking! She'd just awakened to find her mother was dead, couldn't she have a few minutes to mourn her, to let the news seep in? He opened his mouth to object but it was too late.

Dee looked at the doctor, frowning, her face still wet with the tears she'd shed for her mother. Gently Tim wiped them away, kissing her.

The doctor explained her new reality. Because of the accident, the shrapnel still in her body now threatened her internal organs and bodily functions even more than it had before the accident. The surgeons had tried their best but what they'd done hadn't been enough.

Basically, as she explained it, Dee's options were limited. Tim had found a specialist, a former Navy surgeon, in Southern California who had some success in removing shrapnel . Dee smiled at that, trust her Tim to find someone who could help. Dr. Brady emphasized that this was very risky surgery, that the survival rates were low.

Dee blinked, saying, "Ok, so that's surgery. What are my other options?"

Tim swallowed hard as the doctor explained that to prevent the shrapnel from shifting again, she would be confined to a hospital bed.

"Forever? How will I live? What about uh, hygiene?"

"You'll have a catheter and aides who will take care of your other bodily functions."

"Aides? You mean I'd have to wear a diaper."

"Yes."

"Could I sit up?"

"You'd be able to sit up a bit, enough to eat but not enough to drink without a straw."

"Can I safely move my arms to hold my kids? They're only 2, they're not going to understand not to bounce on the bed and crawl on me! And I'm their mom, I'm not giving that up!"

"You can move your arms a bit, you'll have training so you'll know what movement is safe and what isn't. Two is young but not too young to learn."

"Would I have to be in a nursing home?"

"You'll need aides and nurses 24/7. Most people's health insurance won't pay for in-home care for an unlimited time."

Dee stared at the woman, "I feel like you're condemning me to life imprisonment in a hospital bed."

Brady nodded, "Our estimates are 18 to 24 months before the shrapnel damages your internal organs beyond repair."

Tim was crying and all he wanted to do was take his wife into his arms to comfort her. But he couldn't because that would hurt her even more.

Delilah looked at him, then tugged on his hand to get him to move closer. "Okay, let's go back to the risky surgery. How many patients have survived, what are the doctor's statistics?"

Tim told her, including the doctor's response to his email and his request to interview her. "He selects his patients, says they have to have the right attitude."

Dee raised her elegant eyebrows, "If having no other viable options is the right attitude to be a candidate for surgery, that's me."

"All right, we'll call him today."

"As soon as possible, Tim. What day is it?"

"Friday."

Delilah frowned and then looked at her doctor. "Is it okay to move my head?"

"Yes."

"Good. Honey, let's call him now, so we can get things moving. And can I please see the kids?"

The doctor nodded, "Yes, as long as Tim or another adult supervises them."

"Tim, what about work?"

Looking confused, he finally said, "Yours or mine? Your boss knows and said not to worry, your job will be yours as long as you want. And I'm on leave, Dee."

"All week?"

"Since the accident, yes."

She smiled, "I love you so much."

With a smile, he leaned in to kiss her. Dee looked up after they parted, "Dr. Brady, no sex either, right?"

"Right, sorry."

Tim wanted to laugh when Dee muttered that the risky surgery was sounding better every minute. But he didn't because he was terrified.

By 1400, Delilah and the shrapnel surgeon, Dr. Ogden, had spoken and the specialist agreed to take Dee's case. As there was a fair amount of pre-surgery work to do, he asked that she be in San Diego no later than Tuesday with her first surgery scheduled for Thursday. To somewhat alleviate the risk, Dr. Ogden had decided to do at least three surgeries, with several weeks between for recovery.

* * *

This story is dedicated to my sister.


	2. Chapter 2

Notes in the Key of Life

Chapter 2

By the time Tim returned from the hospital Friday night, he and Dee had compiled a list of things that had to be done before they moved nearly 3,000 miles from Washington, D.C. to San Diego, California. They'd already sent out an email explaining the situation and asking for help. There was still no word from Gibbs, although they included him on the email.

Following the email, a Skype session was held Saturday morning, ending with each task on the list having a volunteer or volunteer team attached to it.

Medical transport was first, preferably one that allowed the patient's family to fly with them. Vance, Ducky and Jimmy took that. Second was packing up the McGees' home here and getting everything shipped to San Diego. Lu and Tim's Baltimore family were on that along with Rick Carter, Jim O'Brien and Tobias Fornell.

Third was finding housing at the other end. Ned Dorneget, currently posted in San Diego, and Daniel Ibarra, his partner, volunteered for that and the criteria was very particular. Wheelchair accessible, roomy single story with 4 bedrooms, 3 baths, large kitchen, fenced yard and close to the hospital where Dee would have her surgery. The couple would also find a reputable daycare for the twins and someone to care for them during off hours. Daniel, who worked in IT at NCIS, told his partner if they couldn't find anyone right away to care for the twins after hours, he'd do it. He had two children from a previous marriage who lived half of every month with him and Ned.

Fourth and this sounded strange, was finding work for Tim in San Diego. That was a little trickier than it sounded with the multiple surgeries. When the director asked McGee whether he wanted to TAD for a few months or a permanent position, Tim said whichever was available. Right now there wasn't any time to be choosy. He was just glad that he had enough personal leave to get them through the next few weeks.

By Monday, the medical transport was lined up for that morning. Tim and Delilah had had a virtual tour of the house Ned found for them, near the hospital and within walking distance of a daycare center with good solid reviews. They'd paid the deposit and a month's rent on the house and would move in right away. Their belongings were packed, each had suitcases of clothes with toys and books for the kids and Tim's electronics in another. The movers would put Tim's car in the moving van, which would arrive with all their belongings on Thursday. Ned volunteered to stay at the new house until everything was moved in. Daniel commuted by train into work and offered to loan Tim his car until the movers arrived.

Barry, another of Tim's Baltimore family, would drive Tim and the twins to the airfield for the medical transport flight, while an ambulance would collect Delilah from Bethesda. Jimmy would wait with Delilah at the hospital.

What Tim didn't know until Barry arrived on Monday was that Lu was going with them, staying for at least a month. There was another surprise that he wouldn't find out about just yet. With so much going on since Dee's accident, Tim hadn't had time to do anything toward finding Gibbs. When he said that to Director Vance, the man frowned, "Agent McGee, I know if she were able, Delilah would be searching for Gibbs with you. But she's not able and you are needed to take care of her and your children, no apologies!"

At the airfield, Tim, Lu and the twins waited for the ambulance to arrive with Dee. As each patient arrived, they were taken aboard the jet and settled, then anyone flying with them was allowed aboard.

The twins were experienced flyers, they'd traveled with their parents since they were infants. Their first flight was to Chicago for Hanukkah and Christmas before they were even two months old and there had been several flights since then, to Chicago and then Florida during their first winter, San Francisco for their first summer vacation and Seattle for a week's vacation last summer, the kids and Daddy playing while Mommy worked. Last winter, they'd flown to Puerto Rico for ten days of warm weather.

Tim's eyebrows rose in surprise as several dark SUVs drove onto the airfield. He'd thought Vance might drop by but he didn't usually have a parade of SUVs with him. That usually meant someone of Cabinet rank or close. He was right, it was the director; however he was accompanying the SecNav. They both hugged the kids and Leon hugged Tim, to the younger man's surprise. Secretary Porter shook his hand, looking around. When another parade of SUVs arrived, she nodded. The Secretary of Defense climbed out of his SUV, followed by Delilah's department head and direct supervisor.

Approaching Tim, the twins, Lu and Barry, the Secretary of Defense greeted them all. "We tried to have this ready over the weekend so we could give it to Officer Fielding, but bureaucracy got in our way. Now I understand she'll have already been sedated for the trek to the West Coast, so Special Agent McGee, I'll give you this for your wife, Delilah Fielding McGee."

He handed an envelope to Tim who took it and at Leon's nod, opened it. It was a check for what Tim considered a huge sum of money. "That's for her medical care and all the expenses that will go with it. After the explosion and her initial stay in the hospital, she was given an amount to pay for everything. This will cover her new surgeries and all of the family's expenses."

Tim bit his lip, before finding his voice, "Thank you sir, ma'am, everyone! She'll be pleased to see this. And it will certainly help!"

Delilah's boss handed him something else. "This is a collection of personal leave days donated by DoD employees for you. As Delilah's original injury occurred during the course of her employment, she's covered." He looked at Vance, who smiled as he stepped forward handing Tim a similar list, "This is the same thing, from all of us aboard the Navy Yard and other offices. Semper Fi, Timothy."

Lu squeezed his hand tightly, knowing her boy was fighting tears. She also suspected that last phrase from his director was what he knew Gibbs would say to him.

Quietly, Leon handed him a large manila envelope. "Don't lose this, it's your new assignment. You can work at home or if time permits go into the office. There's a desk there with your name on it. And yes, I will let you know anything new about your former team lead."

Vance looked at the SecDef and the SecNav, "If you'll excuse us for a moment? We have a couple of issues to discuss."

Both secretaries nodded, having been forewarned and Leon steered Tim away from the little gathering. "Wanted to give you some time to collect yourself and to tell you how proud I am of you. Anything you need, any help, advise, a shoulder, let me know. I won't promise to be Gibbs, but I will be there for you. And Tim, while the work I've given you is vital to the agency, your family is even more vital. Also, your new SSAIC, Joel Morris, is an old friend and a good man. I'd like you to consider him and his wife Carol as a resource. One last thing…" Vance waited until McGee looked at him before continuing, "We will find Jethro. We didn't give up when you were in Paraguay and we won't now."

Struggling to talk past the big lump in his throat, Tim nodded, whispering his thanks for everything. Leon gave him a one-armed hug, holding on for a couple of seconds before letting go and reaching for his hand to shake it.

"I see Dr. Palmer's car, Delilah's transport must be here."

It wasn't, not yet and Tim smiled as Jimmy, Breena and Ducky exited Jimmy's car. They moved out of the way as other vehicles pulled in, with Rick Carter, Jim O'Brien, Evan Fuller, Nick Torres, Natalie, Kasie Hines, Agent Sloan and several squad room denizens. Tim again blinked away tears when Tobias Fornell pulled up, joining the others.

As he looked at them, Rick spoke with a smile, "We realized that you were leaving, that with the number of surgeries scheduled for Delilah, you may not return to the Navy Yard. We've worked together for too long to let you go. So here we are to say goodbye, God bless and thank you for all your help, excellent work, friendship and kindnesses to all of us. We'll miss you and hope you'll stay in touch."

Tim smiled, shaking hands with each of them. "Thank you. I've learned a tremendous amount from many of you and we've certainly done good work together. I won't even bother saying how much this means to me because, you know," he leaned forward to say in a stage whisper, "the Secretaries are here, plus our boss!"

That got a chuckle from most of them and then Nick Torres stepped forward. "Uh, Bishop gave me this for you." He handed him an envelope.

"Thanks, Nick. Take care of yourself."

Tim was surprised to see tears in the other man's eyes and patted his shoulder. "Thanks, man. Now I do have to go, Delilah's transport is finally here."

Knowing the flight crew had been waiting for the last ambulance which carried his wife, when one turned in at the gate, he knew it was time. He stepped back, "I didn't come prepared to say anything but thank you, everyone, for your friendship, help and kindness. Keep praying for Delilah, please, we'll need all the prayers, positive thoughts and whatever else you can do to bring about the miracle she needs."

With that he nodded to everyone, turning to his children, Lu and Barry. The group watched as Delilah was quickly moved from the ambulance into the plane. Tim hugged Barry, Jimmy, Breena, Ducky and shook Vance's hand goodbye, gathered the twins and their carry-on bags and climbed the gangway into the jet.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

The jet was divided into two sections, medical and family and the families were not encouraged to visit their particular patient during the flight, unless the medical staff asked for them. All but 2 of the 20 patients on this flight were sedated and there were only five other family members aboard which left plenty of room in the family section for the twins to move around, quietly. They played with each other and with Daddy and Gwamma Wu before settling in for snacks brought from home, stories and naps. As Tim hoped they would, the littles slept the rest of the flight. It would mean a late night tonight but then jet lag should help with that.

When the jet touched down at the airfield in San Diego, the families were asked to stay aboard until all the patients had been moved to their land transports. Once they were out, Tim, Lu and the kids gathered everything, left the jet and were directed to a building where they could claim their luggage. Once Tim checked to make sure Dee's ambulance had the right destination, he joined the rest of his family at baggage claim.

By the time the ambulances were gone and the luggage was gathered, Ned and Daniel were there, with two cars. The family rode in Daniel's SUV while Ned had the luggage. Driving directly to the new house, they passed the hospital on the way and Tim counted 6 blocks between the hospital and their home for the duration of Dee's treatment. That was close and it was a nice area, he was happy about that.

The house was older but in good shape and the kids immediately liked the fenced backyard. They checked out the room Mr. Daniel thought they'd like and agreed with him. Lu was happy with the room she picked and Tim was pleased to notice an en suite bathroom in her room as well as the master. Although they weren't potty training the twins yet, three bathrooms would be handy once that started.

After helping unload everything, Ned and Daniel left. When Tim investigated what was in the kitchen, he found the refrigerator, freezer and cupboards full of food, as well as every kitchen appliance they could possibly need. He sent a quick prayer of thanks for their thoughtful helpers, making a mental note to verbally thank Ned and Daniel. He patted the dishwasher, relieved to find one and smiled again at the modern refrigerator/freezer unit.

Although it was early evening in California, they were still on Eastern time, which made it nearly 2200 here. The kids had baths, stories and cuddles before bed, happy to include Gwamma Wu in their nighttime routine. Daddy tucked them in and they were soon asleep.

Tim took photos of the kids after they were asleep, sending them to Ducky, the Palmers, his siblings, the Vances and Delilah's father Charlie Fielding. They were here in their new home and tomorrow they'd be able to see their mother in the hospital. Mr. Fielding would arrive late Tuesday night and would see his daughter on Wednesday. He lived in Arizona and planned to drive to San Diego.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

Early Tuesday morning, Tim was making coffee when there was a knock on the front door. Looking on his cell phone for the image sent by the security camera he'd put up yesterday, his face lit up in surprise, happiness and relief. He quickly opened the door to welcome his younger sister and brother. "Sarah, Rob, wow, you're here! What a great surprise!"

They laughed as they hugged him. Lu had helped them work out the logistics of their surprise arrival with Ned meeting them at the airport this morning. They'd originally planned to come home for Christmas but when they heard about their sister-in-law's accident and worsened condition, they decided to come now. They planned to help with the kids and whatever else Tim needed.

The twins and Lu were equally excited to see the pair, who'd been in London for nearly 6 months now. Tim fixed a hearty breakfast, knowing they'd be extra hungry for a few days. After they ate and cleaned up the kitchen, the adults took turns showering, Tim pleased to note the hot water heater held enough for four adult showers, dressed and gathering the children, piled into Daniel's car for the short drive to the hospital. Luckily the vehicle was an SUV so there was plenty of room even with the kids' safety seats and Rob's long legs.

While Tim stayed with his wife, the others took turns saying hello and bringing the twins in. When they got a little restless, Unca Rob and Aunty Sawah took them for a walk. Delilah was happy to see everyone and equally happy when they left so she could sleep again. She was tired, telling Tim she didn't understand how she could have jet lag when she'd slept the whole day! He laughed at that. She liked the photos of the new house and smiled when she noticed he'd already installed at least one security camera. That was her Tim, always looking out for those he loved.

After lunch, she was taken for more pre-surgery tests, so the group went home. They'd return after their own lunch and the kids' naps. Today, naptime included everyone but Lu who was wide awake, no jet lag for her.

Lu was nervous, she'd had a bad feeling about all of this since the accident and that feeling was getting stronger every day. She hadn't said anything to Tim and had only told one old friend at home. She understood Delilah's decision to go ahead with the risky surgery, believing she would have made the same decision to take the risk and pray for the best. Others might say they'd take the hospital bed choice, spending their remaining time with their kids but that wasn't Delilah – or Lu, for that matter. Nevertheless, she was nervous.

While the others napped, Lu dug out her sewing machine, brought along with her suitcase, and some of the fabric she'd brought with her. Her plan was to make some pretty nightgowns for Dee to wear between surgeries, while she was recovering here at their new home.

Back at the hospital late in the afternoon, they found Dee exhausted and only wanting to sleep. The kids teased her a little about needing a nap and she roused herself enough to laugh with them. The others went home while Tim stayed with her, holding Delilah's hand while she slept. He finally left when Rob returned after dinner to pick him up for the twins' nightly routine.

Charlie Fielding was there when they went in on Wednesday and Tim enjoyed chatting with his father-in-law. The man hadn't been able to spend much time with Dee when she was growing up, his former wife wouldn't let him, claiming he would be a bad influence on their daughter. According to Liz, his problem had been admitting that he was bisexual and couldn't stay in their marriage any longer. Not that he was bisexual but for admitting it and then leaving the marriage. After nearly a decade of infrequent visits and phone calls, he'd reconnected with Dee once she turned 18 and left home for college. Tim first met him after the twins were born and liked him immediately. He'd also liked Mr. Sprague, Dee's stepfather, but between Charlie and Liz, he could see where Dee got her smarts, wit, looks and determination.

Today, when the twins needed to move around, Gwampa Chawwie took them for a walk to the park and playground Rob found yesterday. Tim thought about all the grandparents. Except for Gibbs, the others were Grandma this or Grandpa that. With Liz gone, that was no longer necessary. Lu and Charlie could be Grandma and Grandpa while Gibbs, if he ever surfaced, would still be Poppy.

Tim sighed, worried about the surgery with the less immediate and intrusive worry about his former boss. He'd had a text from Tony last night, wishing Dee the best and sending his love to all of them. He'd said more than that but it seemed to be subtext and Tim hadn't had time to properly examine it yet.

By midafternoon, he and Charlie were alone in the room with Dee. At 1600, they left. There was another test to be run and then Dee would need uninterrupted sleep. Tim was relieved when he was told he could come in early the next morning, just him, though.

After a sleepless night, he took Uber to the hospital and sat talking quietly with his love for nearly two hours. He reminded her of all the fun they'd had together, their personal binary language, the thousand little things they'd shared over the past four and a half years. Pointing to a box, she told him that with the hospital chaplain's help, she'd recorded letters for their children, just in case. There were more in with Lu's belongings. She asked him to remember that miracles do happen and that this had been her decision, she couldn't stand the thought of lying in a hospital bed, letting him and their babies see her 'rotting away' as she put it.

When he kissed her, she reminded him of their first kisses: the very first one, right before he quit NCIS during the Parsons' fiasco, the first one after their first night together, the first one in the hospital when she woke to find him there, the first one in Dubai when he visited and their first kiss when she came home from Dubai. She added their first kiss in the hospital after finding out they were pregnant, their first kiss as a married couple and their first kiss after their babies were born.

She told him she wanted him to find love and marry again if she didn't make it, that she wanted him to have a long and happy life, even if it wasn't with her. He cried at that but she had always been stubborn and before they came to prep her for surgery, she had his promise.

Her father came in for a few minutes and she made him promise to stay in touch with Tim, to be grandpa to her babies and tell them lots of good stories about her, whether they were true or not. Charlie laughed at that, he was pretty good at spinning a yarn and wondered if that was part of his daughter's attraction to Tim, his own ability to spin a good tale or two.

Lu, Sarah and Rob rotated coming in to wish Dee the best of luck and telling her about the celebration they planned for her homecoming between surgeries. She smiled, happy to know they believed with her that she would get through this.

By 0700, she'd been wheeled down the corridor towards the pre-surgical room. Her surgery was scheduled for 0830. Tim went home with the others. He passed on coffee, finally taking the kids to a park to play. By 0930 they were home and he decided to return to the hospital. Sarah went with him, Rob drove them, making sure they had their fully charged phones and tablets. They'd been told to expect this first surgery to last between 5 and 6 hours.

Tim never sat for more than a few minutes at a time. He paced the corridors, he walked the staircases, he walked outside, he kept moving. When he found a roof garden, he walked up there, only leaving when a helo brought in an emergency, he was so distracted that he hadn't realized the roof garden was also a helipad.

He found Sarah and sat with her again, looking at the time. Four hours and 17 minutes. Feeling dizzy, he sat quietly, drinking from his bottle of water. Sarah watched him, worried as much about him as Dee. Several minutes later, he stood again just as a nurse entered the waiting room. "Mr. McGee?"

"I'm McGee, my sister's here with me."

"If you'll come with me, please."

They followed the nurse to an office where they were soon joined by Dr. Ogden, strain evident on his face. "Timothy, I'm so sorry. We lost her a few minutes ago, a bit over four hours into the surgery."

Tim whispered, "Four hours and 17 minutes?"

The doctor checked something and nodded.

"Do you know what happened yet?"

"Her heart. I won't know without a post-mortem but I believe there may have been a piece of that damn shrapnel too close. It can't have been there since the original injury, I'm making an educated guess it's a tiny piece that moved to her heart during the recent accident. It could have been small enough to appear as a shadow. I certainly didn't see it beforehand, nor did any of my colleagues or her physicians at Bethesda."

Sarah spoke, "So not only was Delilah the last victim of Benham Parsa, the terrorist behind the Gala attack, she was also the victim of a drunk driver?"

"Yes, that's an accurate summation. If she hadn't been struck by the drunk, I believe she would have lived another 20-30 years. And in that time, who knows what progress medical science will make that could have helped her."

Tim found his voice again, "Dr. Ogden, please do a post-mortem. If there's anything that will help with the next patient, Dee would want that. And I want to know, someday I'll need to tell our children." He paused, "Are any of her organs in good enough shape for transplanting?"

"Yes. Do you want specifics?"

Tim shook his head, "No. But knowing part of her lives on in someone else might help a bit."

"I've heard it does. And it's parts, Timothy. More than one organ."

Now Tim couldn't stop the tears. Finally he said, "After the post-mortem…she wanted to be cremated, neither of us want to take up space that should be for the living. I…my brother's in-laws own mortuaries back East, I'm sure they'll have contacts out here."

"If not, the hospital has a list."

"All right. I think her dad might want to see her after the M.E. finishes."

"It will be me, Timothy, not the M.E. but that's fine. I'll let you know."

Eventually, Sarah led Tim out of the doctor's office, down the corridor to the lobby. They'd taken Dee's few personal effects with them earlier. She ordered an Uber and within 15 minutes, they walked in the door of the house. He couldn't hear the kids and looking at his watch, decided they must be napping. Rob, Lu and Charlie stood as they walked in.

Taking a deep breath, Tim said, "It's over. They lost her at four hours and 17 minutes into the surgery, it was her heart. Dr. Ogden will do a post-mortem and we can see her after that. She was an organ donor and there were multiple parts that are probably being prepared for transplanting into someone else right now."

Tim stopped talking, collapsing into a chair.

Eventually, they roused themselves and before the children woke, sent word to their family and friends on the East Coast. Sarah put together an email that Tim okayed, sending it to Director Vance and Delilah's boss, with a blind copy for Tobias, confident the NCIS and DoD folks would be told. Rob wrote an email to Ducky, Jimmy and Breena, adding Tim's question about a mortuary out here. Lu wrote one for their Baltimore family. Tim finally wrote a note to Tony, although all he could bring himself to say was that Tony's friend 'Wheels' was gone.

As Gibbs was still missing and his voice mail full on his cell and house phone, there wasn't any way to contact him.

When the children woke, Tim sat down with them, saying that God had decided to take their mommy to heaven to live with him, that her hurts couldn't get better here and that He must have decided to take her home to heaven where she wouldn't hurt any more. They both cried and he cried with them.

Breena replied saying she and her mother had made a deal with a San Diego mortuary to let them take care of Delilah. They'd checked with the hospital, who said the post-mortem would be completed by Monday. Breena and her mom, Ginny Slater, would fly out Sunday, attend to Delilah and set up a funeral or memorial service if he wanted.

When Rob read the email aloud, Sarah looked at her brother, "Tim, this might not sound right just now, but maybe we should have a service, a celebration of her life. Just because she's being cremated doesn't mean people still can't say goodbye."

He nodded, "I'm feeling that way, too, Sari. Charlie?"

"Yes, I agree. I want something, not just this…nothingness."

"All right. Lu, Rob?"

They both voted yes and Rob let Breena know that they'd like a memorial service the following Saturday, 11 days away.

Sarah sent a second email, including Tobias and their Baltimore family, saying Tim and Delilah's father had decided to hold a memorial service here in San Diego.

Remembering that Liz's friend Missy asked to be kept informed about Delilah, Tim started writing her an email. Charlie interrupted him, saying Missy was the only one of Liz's friends he'd liked and he'd write her, let her know they were all together here and that there would be a memorial service a week from Saturday. Tim sighed, realizing Liz's service was probably this Saturday. What a waste. With a start, he realized he had one more entity to notify, the DC Metro PD, who would in turn notify the District Attorney that their drunk driver was now responsible for two deaths. Two murders.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

Eleven days later, the group gathered in the house after an exhausting, emotional day. They'd figured Vance and Delilah's boss would fly out for the service. They had not expected nearly 250 people to attend, from NCIS and the DoD as well as their Baltimore family, several of Liz's friends from Chicago and to Charlie's astonishment, some of his friends from Arizona.

Neither Breena nor her mother Ginny were the least bit surprised and the service was lovely. Full of good memories, pride in Delilah's accomplishments as well as her strength and determination. The twins stayed with Daniel and his kids during the service, joining their father and family for the coffee afterwards.

In the meantime, Dr. Ogden wrote Tim, thanking him for allowing a post-mortem, saying that his theory about the small piece of shrapnel was correct and he now had more information to use to help save more victims of deadly shrapnel. He also said that the recipients of Delilah's generous donation were making good recoveries, grateful to be given another chance to live. Tim and Charlie cried at that.

The next day, Sunday, Tim finally opened the envelope given him by Director Vance for his next assignment. He smiled as he saw the note in Leon's handwriting. "Here's a list of special projects, your next assignment is to complete one or two of these. Each of them will give the agency a leg up in our daily work. You'll recognize them as they were your ideas in the first place, mentioned to either Gibbs or me. At some point, I decided to keep track of them in case we ever had enough budget to pursue them. When these are complete, we'll talk about your next office assignment. Let me know if you have any questions. Leon"

Tim sat back to study the list, then put it down as he thought about Gibbs, wondering where he was. Sighing, he let the tears flow as he realized once again that he'd lost his beloved wife, the person he loved and relied on the most and that his former boss, a man he'd relied on for over a decade and to whom he'd finally grown close, might also be gone.


	3. Chapter 3

A/Ns: HAPPY VETERAN'S DAY AND THANK YOU TO THOSE WHO SERVE/HAVE SERVED!

Wanted to thank everyone who is reading, following, has favorited or reviewed this story. I'm so glad you're enjoying it! For those of you who have reviewed, a special thank you! I sometimes respond to your reviews but even when I don't reply, I'm still reading them. I always appreciate you taking the time to let me know what you think.

On a personal note, I also want to thank those who have sent so much love, expressed concern for me, sent thoughts and prayers for my family. For those of you who've sent PMs to me, thank you! Every review with a personal comment, every PM helped. The memorial service for my sister was held earlier today and it was quite lovely. Now I'm back home after helping care for her for nearly 3 months. I'm thankful I was able to do that but oh boy does it feel good to sleep for a whole night! And in my own bed in my own home!

Momcat (and others): 'FaceTime' is a video chat app available on Apple electronic devices, somewhat similar to Skype.

* * *

Chapter 3

3 months later

Tim and Lu carried the twins from the jet that brought them to Tim's new assignment in Perth, Australia, in the state of West Australia. Jace and Lizbet squirmed, wanting to walk, but with the plane full of passengers waiting to disembark, it was faster to carry them.

They'd broken the long flight with a 4 day layover along the way, which the adults felt really helped. During the stop, they stayed on a beach, letting the kids run and play in the water to their hearts' content. As it was January and summer in the Southern Hemisphere, the weather was quite warm. While the adults agreed it was worth it, all of them were happy to reach their final destination.

The family taxied to the residential hotel where they'd stay until they found a new home. The hotel looked nice from the outside, very tall as most of the buildings seemed to be in this city of over a million people. Their suite was on the 5th floor and had three bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a kitchenette with a table and 6 chairs, a decent sized living area with a sofabed, desk, TV and a few comfortable chairs. The children could play in here or in their room. The hotel facilities included a playground for the kids as well as a pool for young children and another for older children and adults.

Tim had a meeting scheduled with a relocation agent later that afternoon, he wanted to get settled as soon as possible after their 3 month stay in San Diego. He hoped he'd find what they wanted in their new home, although they had a long wish list. He wanted a house or townhouse within an hour's drive of the office and close to a beach; beachfront would be ideal but he was a pragmatist. They'd need a fenced play area for the twins and enough bedrooms and bathrooms for the four of them as well as at least two bedrooms for visitors, with additional bathrooms. Because their list had more bedrooms and bathrooms than most Australian homes, they'd decided not to waste any time starting the search. He and Lu looked at several houses online before they left San Diego and again during their beach layover.

They'd need two guestrooms as both Ducky and Tim's father-in-law Charlie Fielding planned to spend the Northern Hemisphere's hot summer months in Perth, where it would be winter. Tim's siblings also planned to visit while Tim was posted here. At least Sarah and Rob would come and they all hoped older brother Geordie would surface at some point. In addition, Tim and Lu were working to persuade the Baltimore bunch to visit. While they doubted either Freddy or Jose would feel they could take the time from their flourishing plumbing business, they had hope that Bill and Barry would visit.

As Perth was known as one of the most isolated cities in the world, Tim's NCIS cases would be local or the team would fly to their crime scenes. 'Local' was a relative term as the city had more than 350 suburbs of varying sizes. However, once outside Perth and its suburbs, the closest Australian city of any size was Adelaide, with a flight of nearly 3 hours, or a 28 hour drive over a mostly empty 2696 km or 1675 miles. Sydney, 2044 miles distant, was a 4 hour flight. In contrast, travel to other countries was in some cases quicker. Singapore, where the Southeast Asia Field Office was located, was a 5 hour flight and Bali, in Indonesia, was close to a 4 hour flight. The USMC base in Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia, was 4, 041 kilometers or 2, 510 miles from Perth, a 44 hour drive or a 3 ½ hour flight.

Tim was the new SAIC here in Perth, the lead on a team of three agents, with an additional staff of one to handle dispatch and office management. The office was subordinate to the Southeast Asia Field Office, headed by Tim's friend Cassie Yates, now SSAIC Yates.

He would be glad to get back to field work after working on the two special projects he'd selected to build over the weeks since he'd returned to work after Delilah's death. At first, he hadn't been enthusiastic the assignment; it was too far from family and friends at a time when he and his children really needed them. However, he did not want to stay in San Diego or go back to DC, associating both with Delilah's death, and Perth had the job he wanted now, if not quite the location and Director Vance was insistent. As he was Tim's boss, off to Perth they went!

Lu was thrilled to have the opportunity to not only visit Australia but to live there for at least three years and her excitement rubbed off on Tim and the kids; now he was glad to be here.

They planned to rent a vehicle until they got settled. Eventually he and Lu would go car shopping, they'd sold their cars before leaving the U.S. To Tim's surprise, he'd been told he could use an agency sedan for personal use, which meant Lu would drive the family car most of the time.

He wanted to do some traveling with his children during his off time although they'd have to fly to their destinations. Still, they could go on the weekends Tim's team wasn't working or on call. They'd leave Fridays after work, returning Sunday evenings.

While traveling alone with his children would be challenging and a little lonely for him, Tim was determined to give Lu time to herself whenever possible. If she wanted to travel with them, that would be wonderful and Tim would pay for her expenses, but it would be her choice, not an expectation, and they would share twin duty as they did when he wasn't working.

At 26 months, Jace and Lizbet were growing and developing in leaps and bounds. Their second birthday, nearly two months after Delilah's death, had been difficult but the family and extended family had gathered around, either in person or via Skype, to make the day happier for the children, relieving Tim of the burden of trying to fake happiness, although he was thankful and happy the twins hadn't been in the car with their mother and grandmother. During the twins' party, he'd tried very hard to not think about his own mother's death when he was just 19 months old. He'd asked everyone to ignore his own birthday this year and was relieved when family and friends abided by his wishes, although he appreciated the heartfelt messages on the cards they sent.

The children missed their mommy, they often asked where she was, what she was doing in heaven, why she couldn't visit them or woke crying for her, sobbing their little hearts out in the arms of their heartbroken father.

Now, after helping the twins unpack their clothes, Tim put his away, stashing the suitcases in a closet. When he noticed that Lu hadn't said anything in a few minutes, he peeked into her room and saw her lying across the bed, a clothes hanger in her hand, her open suitcase next to her, sound asleep.

Smiling, he closed her door, wrote her a note and then gathered his babies. It was time to get some fresh air and exercise.

Miss Lizbet and Mr. Jace were in a hurry to get to the playground and nearly pulled their daddy with them. Tim was just glad they had any energy after the flight, all the hustle and bustle of the airport, riding to the hotel and getting settled in.

"Hey, you two, slow down!"

Lizbet giggled, "You need ta huwwy up, Daddy!"

Jace grinned, "We wanta have fun befowe you faw asweep wike Gwama Wu."

"We have time to play, don't worry."

"Yes, bu' den you have ta go to wowk."

"First I'll find us a new place to live! That will be fun."

They'd reached the playground and Tim smiled, there were plenty of toddler things to do here. Baby swings, little slides, tunnels to crawl through and other play equipment suitable for their age.

First came the swings and he gently pushed each of them while they made happy noises. When they were done with those, they went down the straight slide and then he held them on his lap as the three of them slide around and down the 'curly' slide. He made a mental note that the curly slide would be easier with 2 adults. The kids explored and played in a 'fort' type structure before crawling through the brightly painted tunnels, laughing in glee when they met in the middle.

After an hour or so, they were yawning and returned to their room. After a clean-up, they lay down for their nap. Lu was awake by then and said she thought she could stay awake while Tim was looking at houses.

Tim grinned at her, "You don't have to stay awake, I've arranged for a babysitter from the hotel. You can sleep or swim, explore the hotel facilities – do whatever you want!"

"Thank you, Timmo, that's very thoughtful!" She smiled at him, an eyebrow lifted in question, "And how are you planning to keep your eyes open?"

"I'll have a nap now and then I have a few of those little power drinks that I'll use judiciously."

He woke two hours later, just in time to wash his face, have a snack and the first of the power drinks. He'd be careful with those as he did want to sleep that night.

Taking his tablet and phone, he kissed his still sleeping children and waved goodbye to Lu. The babysitter arrived as he was leaving.

Downstairs, he emerged from the elevator as Ms. Shelley, his relocation agent, walked into the lobby. They'd met on Skype before leaving San Diego, making things easier now. She already knew what he wanted in a home and that he was willing to rent or purchase.

After welcoming him to Australia, the woman said, "I know you'll be happy to hear I have 6 homes for us to view! Two are for sale, the rest are rentals. And they're all easily within an hour's drive of your office."

"Thanks, I'm excited! Our last place, we were in a big hurry and friends found it for us. It was a great place but now I'm looking forward to finding our new home myself, with your help."

Having been told by Lu the basics of the McGees' sad and rather crazy life in the past few months, Ms. Shelley kept her response to a simple nod.

After viewing 3 of the 6 selections, they stopped for coffee. They'd viewed a mix of standalone houses and two story townhomes, which shared walls on at least one side. Tim wasn't excited about sharing walls, especially with his young children. However, one of the townhomes only shared the garage wall, which made it more acceptable to him. Still, he hadn't seen anything that really 'spoke' to him, that felt like home.

He also wasn't sure about purchasing here. With a three year minimum posting, he didn't want to end up having to keep the place or losing money if he was transferred during a downswing in the real estate market. He hadn't been involved back in'08 and '09 when the real estate market collapsed, nearly taking the U.S. down with it, but he'd witnessed friends and co-workers losing jobs and homes and having to live with family or friends willing to take them in. One friend who'd lost her house resorted to renting a room in someone else's home, remaining there for a few years while she got back on her feet. Others had moved in with parents, in-laws, siblings. A family he knew through friends lost their jobs in the auto industry and subsequently lost their house. They'd moved in with the in-laws of an in-law, the wife's brother-in-law's sister's husband's sister and her family. They'd been crowded, sleeping on air mattresses anywhere in the house that had floor space, but survived with a roof over their heads, paying what they could until they found work, paid for their stay, saved money for housing deposits and eventually were able to move on. Knowing all this, Tim no longer trusted the real estate market in general and specifically, hadn't had time to look at the statistics for the Australian housing market.

After finishing their coffees, they continued on their search. Number 4 was fine, Tim liked it more than the previous places. The next place brought a genuine smile to his face, it was just what he'd hoped to find. In the suburb of Merriwa, it was a short drive to the beach, with a fenced backyard in what looked like a neighborhood with young children, judging from the children's safety seats he noticed in cars as well as strollers and kids' toys outside houses.

Ms. Shelley smiled when she saw his expression. "You asked for six bedrooms and four bathrooms, which might be considered nearly mansion size here where four bedrooms and two baths is considered large. Your timing is good and your instincts, to start looking right away, are spot on. This home has seven bedrooms and five and a half bathrooms spread over two stories, which is uncommon. The back of the property is fully fenced and as you can see there's a large garage, perfect for parking and/or storage. It's bigger than you asked for but it is in your price range and there are no 6 and 4 properties available." She smiled, "I fell in love with the place the first time I saw it. It's large without being ostentatious and I think the way the front has been done is quite charming."

Tim nodded his agreement, the front of the house had landscaping that complemented the size of the building with a winding path from the street to the front door with ground cover, another path from the driveway merging into it, with a few flower beds, two shade trees and a birdbath under one of the trees. While most of the houses in the neighborhood had wood and brick exteriors, this house was all wood, or timber as it was called here.

Inside, the house seemed spacious and open to him. The common areas weren't huge but were a good size for the four of them and would be fine when they had guests. The kitchen was a nice size, perfect for one or two cooks, with modern appliances, including a dishwasher and a full size refrigerator and freezer combination. His smile grew even bigger when he found a laundry room with a newer washing machine and dryer. Opening a door to the outside, they walked into the backyard, finding a large covered patio that protected the back of the first floor from the heat. Tim nodded in appreciation of the groundcover, which he thought would need little water, the play equipment and the garden as well as the clothesline. He preferred using a dryer but knew Lu loved drying clothes in fresh air. This way they'd both be happy. He smiled when he looked up at the second story, each window had what looked like a retractable awning above it. He was sure those had cost a bundle to purchase and install but they must help keep down the cost of cooling the house.

Back inside on the main floor, there were two nicely sized bedrooms along a carpeted back hallway, providing plenty of privacy from the common areas. Tim thought the rooms were large enough for a king sized bed, perfect for Robbie or their friend Bill when they visited. There was a shared bathroom between the rooms. He noted that both rooms had ceiling fans, another help against the high temperatures of the summers here. The living room and dining area also had ceiling fans.

Before they walked upstairs, Ms. Shelley pointed out the half bath tucked under the staircase. The second floor had five bedrooms with four bathrooms. The largest bedroom, the master, was plenty big enough for Tim's California King bed, and had an en suite bathroom, reached by walking through closet space on both sides. The staircase ended in the middle of the upper floor and at the other end of the hall, was another large bedroom, also with its own bath with a walk through closet. Tim thought that could be Lu's room, unless she wanted the other large room.

The other three bedrooms, along with two other rooms were on either side of the hallway, with the remaining two bathrooms placed strategically between on either side. Tim was surprised to see that the two hallway bathrooms had separate toilet rooms, with their own doors and fans. He'd heard that was customary in parts of Europe but hadn't expected to see it here.

The two extra rooms were also a surprise. Tim thought he would use one as an office and the other one might make a good indoor playroom, although he'd rather have that downstairs. Maybe the second guestroom could double as a playroom and they'd use the second extra room as guest quarters. Both Ducky and Charlie Fielding were healthy, agile men who would be fine with stairs.

From the first glimpse he'd had of this house, Tim keenly felt the pain of losing Dee. She would have loved the front yard and the look of the place, although the second floor would be a problem unless they installed a staircase lift for her. He would have loved to do that for her.

That made Tim think of their frustrating search in the DC Metro Area for a home that could even start to match her needs and the work they'd had to do, with Gibbs doing the lion's share, to fully adapt their home to her needs. With all that, they'd only lived in it for 18 months before the accident that ultimately killed his wife.

That house was now a rental handled by a property management company. Tim couldn't bear to deal with it. Once again he felt the emptiness of the continued absence of Gibbs along with the always present grief for Delilah. He 'd been unable to find any trace of his former boss in the searches he'd done but then he'd had to do them on his own time. Vance was adamant that he stick to the work he'd been assigned.

Forcing his thoughts back to the present, Tim thought the most important thing about the house was the air conditioning and ceiling fans both upstairs and down! The temperature in Western Australia was known to climb as high as 104° Fahrenheit and above. The highest recorded temperature was 123°F!

Ms. Shelley didn't need to be told he loved the place but he verbalized it anyway. The owners were asking for a 3-year lease which Tim found amusing as that was the minimum length of his post here. He continued to smile when the agent told him the owners had been transferred to Seattle. He wondered if the owner might be his predecessor at the office but it turned out he was a U.S. Navy officer who would retire in three years, planning to return here to live.

Tim wandered through the house again, taking photos and sending them to Lu. She replied with a bouncing, smiling emoticon.

Ms. Shelley opened the lease agreement on her tablet and Tim quickly completed it, paying a deposit. As their furniture and belongings wouldn't arrive for two weeks, they'd stay at the hotel until then. That would be also easier as the hotel would provide babysitters so Lu could have time off while Tim would be fairly close by at the office.

One of the things they'd do before moving is visit the daycare center in Merriwa to enroll the twins. Ms. Shelley drove by the center on their way back to Perth, offering to stop to ask for a tour. Tim happily agreed, thanking her for the extra effort on her part.

From the roadway, it looked good. The entire property was fenced and he could see a little of the play equipment in the backyard. He was surprised to see children playing before realizing that today was Wednesday, a weekday.

When they rang the bell at the gate, Tim noticed a camera and smiled, approving of the security. He held up his agency ID and passport while Ms. Shelley held up her drivers license. Once they were buzzed in, a woman appeared on the porch.

"Hello, I'm Ms. Joan. How may I help you?"

Tim smiled, "My family and I arrived today from the U.S. My children are twins, boy and girl, aged 2 ½ . I'm a single father, their mother died last year and the children's grandmother cares for them while I'm at work. They attended daycare in the U.S. and loved it and I hope they can attend here." He shook his head, "Sorry, I started in the middle! I've just signed a lease on a house here in Merriwa."

"Wonderful! Welcome to Australia and to Merriwa. Where will you be working?"

"In Perth. I'm a Federal Agent with the U.S. Government," he told her the name of the agency and the address of the office, writing the phone number on one of his old cards before handing it to her. "There's also a website if you'd like to look at that. I've been with the agency for 17 years. I don't have my new cards yet. " She looked at it.

"Thank you, I'll take a look, it sounds interesting. We usually ask new families to bring their children in for a couple of hours to see if they'll be happy. If all goes well, they can start fulltime, or whatever hours are needed, the following day."

"Yes, the daycare in San Diego did that too and as I remember the daycare in DC did, too."

"Washington, DC?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"You have come a long way! Do you have a date in mind for their visit?"

"I'd like to do it this week if that's all right with you. I'll still have time off next week but my schedule won't be as flexible as it is this week. Once the children start, Luella Morgan, the kids' grandmother, will bring them in and pick them up."

"She's not your mother? Oh, excuse me, that's none of my business!"

"That's all right, we're a different kind of family. My own mother died when I was a baby. I didn't meet Lu until I was 9; she's been the closest thing I've had to a mother. My wife's mother died shortly before my wife and Lu stepped in to help with the children; however, she's been one of their grandmothers since they were born. My father-in-law will visit but I don't think he'll move here."

"Oh dear, you have had a rough time, I'm so sorry."

Tim nodded his appreciation; he never knew quite what to say and preferred not to talk about it with anyone who hadn't known Dee.

After a quick tour of the center, Tim set up Lu and the twins' visit for Friday morning. The four of them could also drive by their new house and perhaps have a picnic lunch in a park he'd noticed. Ms. Shelley thought that was a wonderful idea, the sooner the family became comfortable with their new town and country, the better.

She drove them back into Perth, Tim taking note of the time on the road and the mileage. He smirked to himself, glad he was at least familiar with the way most of the world measured distances. No more miles, for the next three years it would be meters and kilometers.

He smiled as he walked into the hotel, looking into the pool area and seeing Lu swimming laps. He bet that felt good, maybe the babysitter could stay another hour so he could also swim. The twins could play in the water afterward, right now he was feeling the need to exercise!

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

After they'd all had a swim and more fun on the playground, he and Lu racing the kids on the little track there, Tim walked to a nearby market and bought food for dinner. As they were all tired, they ate early and then had quiet time with Jace and Lizbet. They had baths and a new story from Daddy, who made up little stories for his babies and occasionally writing them down. He'd been about halfway through writing his first book of stories for toddlers when Gibbs disappeared and Delilah's car was hit by a drunk driver. He'd get back to it someday but right now, spending as much time as possible with his children had a higher priority. After cuddles with both adults, the children went to sleep in their hotel provided toddler beds. They'd already had naps in them today, so they were familiar and, with the help of their favorite blankies, felt comfortable and safe.

Once they were asleep, Lu wanted to look at the photos of the house again. She was excited, pointing out to Tim the need for additional furniture. He nodded, "I thought of that. We four have beds and dressers; I'll buy more beds and drawers for the guestrooms once we know who's coming and when. The table and chairs will work and if we use converters we won't have to buy a new toaster or coffeemaker. I don't know whether the converters are strong enough for the TV but I can rewire it. Everything else is already there. Oh, clothespins, Lu!"

She laughed, rolling her eyes at him before saying. "You have one sofa and I have one, is there room for both?"

When Lu decided to go to Australia with Tim and her grandchildren, she'd had her belongings packed up and moved to San Diego. The moving company that picked up the McGees' belongings had also collected hers from storage and all of it was now in a container on a ship sailing from San Diego to Perth.

"Yes and with a couple of chairs I think that's enough for starters. What we will need right away is outdoor furniture! I'm hoping we can find used things in good shape to start off with. That way I won't feel bad if we leave them behind."

"That's a good idea, we can do that with the car, too. I have a few folding chairs, we can use those outdoors until you find what you want."

He nodded. "Great, thanks! What do you think of getting a wading pool?"

"I'd love it! Oh, you meant for the twins?" She grinned and he shook his head at her.

"Primarily, although you're right, I know we'll be wading in it too."

"I noticed in the photo you took from the backyard looking at the house that there are screens or curtains, something rolled up on the top of the patio roof."

"I saw those, too. Ms. Shelley said they're bamboo screens that will help keep the sun off the patio and the back of the house."

"Excellent! So, we'll need outdoor chairs that will work with the kids' booster seats. Let's get six so we'll have enough for guests. An outdoor table and a grill. I'm pretty good at grilling."

He smiled at that, remembering the few times at the shelter that she'd grilled burgers and hot dogs during the summer, out in the back parking lot. They'd moved some of the tables and chairs out there and enjoyed their outdoor meal. He thought now those outdoor meals were one of the few times he'd felt like a normal person.

"That sounds like fun!"

She smiled, "I just realized that your birthday and the twins', will be in the spring here, not fall."

Tim beamed, "I hadn't thought of that, thanks! I've always wished my birthday could be celebrated during warmer weather. "

"And now it will be, for a few years, anyway."

"Hey, if we like it, we can stay longer than 3 years."

"Of course. However, you're here to gain the experience you need to move up. Once you have it, you're on your way to the next promotion."

"Yes, Mom."

She laughed at that, always loving it when her boys and Sarah teased her, especially when they called her mom.

"I suppose it will be odd to have Christmas and New Year's in the summer."

He shrugged, "I hope the holidays will be easier this year."

Last year, celebrating anything so shortly after Dee's death had been painful but they'd already weathered the kids' birthdays. They put their minds to it and managed, with the help of Ned and Daniel, Daniel's kids and Lu and Tim's extended family. At Tim's insistence, Sarah and Rob had returned to the UK and their classes after Dee's memorial service, but all four of the Baltimore family had flown to San Diego for Christmas, joined by Ducky and Charlie Fielding. The Vances stopped by after Christmas, they were in town visiting their former neighbors and seeing them helped, too.

Tim missed his wife, his former boss and Tony, whose text he'd finally 'decoded'. Tony and Tali were safe somewhere and the text made it clear that Ziva was the one from whom they were hiding. What took time for Tim to figure out was Tony's reference to Senior. He'd finally remembered the senior DiNozzo's friendship with a Saudi prince and conjectured that Tony and his daughter might be under the prince's protection, as crazy as that sounded.

The shock of Tony having to hide his child from her own mother made Tim realize how much danger Gibbs was, or had been, facing from the woman he'd loved as his own daughter. It changed how he searched for any hints of Gibbs' presence. While he was always careful with his security, now he was obsessed, afraid Ziva would hack, or have someone else hack, into his computer for information as to Gibbs' or Tony's whereabouts. Not that it would do her any good, Tim had no more idea where Gibbs was now than he had that first day. His bigger fear was that Gibbs was still with her, still believed her lies and misinformation or worse, was her prisoner.

He was convinced that Gibbs was alive and likely somewhere overseas, likely somewhere in the Middle East. Could he have contacts there who were protecting him? Or was he being held by hostiles, Ziva for instance, against his will? He didn't understand what Ziva could have against Gibbs, why she would want to harm him. When he'd contacted Ellie Bishop to ask the question, she'd shut him down.

Prior to his leaving DC for San Diego, he'd made a recommendation to Vance that Bishop be sent for additional training after her failure to tell Gibbs or anyone about her discovery that Ziva was alive, choosing a woman she'd never met over her team without a clue what kind of danger she might be putting them, or Ziva, in. What he hadn't known at the time is that Gibbs had previously informed Vance that if Bishop screwed the pooch one more time, he wanted her off the MCRT. Her failure to communicate the news about Ziva was the death knell for her spot on the team.

After his failed attempt to talk with her about Ziva, he'd contacted Rick Carter who told him she was no longer a member of the 'new' MCRT. Rick didn't know where she'd been placed or if she was still with the agency. As for Tim, at the time he spoke with Rick, he'd had too many other things to deal with than spending time worrying about her. He and Nick Torres had exchanged emails when Tim learned of his posting to Australia, but neither said anything about Bishop. Torres continued as the junior agent on the new MCRT, the only member of Gibbs' team left.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

Once again engaging the hotel babysitting service, on Thursday Tim and Lu took a taxi to rent a car. They'd thought about purchasing right away but both felt they were too new to the city and country to attempt the process. Tim hoped his new teammates would have some handy tips for him. He had an information sheet from Human Resources but he wanted to know the details before even looking.

Once they had the rental vehicle, they had a child-free lunch out, a rare occurrence, and then found the NCIS office. Lu dropped Tim off while she planned to stop at a grocery store they'd seen fairly close to the hotel. However, she wanted to do more exploring besides the groceries, thinking she might first drive out to Merriwa to scope out the town. The kids were safe and comfortable with the babysitter, she would take advantage of the time, although she felt a little guilty setting out on a new adventure without her grandchildren.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

Tim was warmly welcomed by his new team and the agent on loan from one of the other offices reporting to Singapore. Their previous SAIC left on Tuesday and the team had been catching up on paperwork and reviewing cold cases. It was easier to send an agent to be acting lead rather than ask for one when they had a case as the closest office was a 5 hour flight.

First meeting with the permanently assigned agents, Tim was encouraged by their enthusiastic welcome. Ty Mercer and Hannah Clark were in their late 20s and Hannah was the senior of the two. She'd been in Perth for two years after doing her probationary year and her first year as a junior agent in the Little Creek, VA office while Ty had been here for a little over a year after completing his probie year in the Austin, TX office.

Tim made a mental note of that, both had trained in sub offices. He'd want to make sure they had a chance to move into a full field office environment. He supposed he was a bit biased about that, having worked only in the Norfolk Field Office, the Southwest Field Office and of course NCIS Headquarter but he felt it was important they not get caught in some sort of loop. He wondered if there was an unofficial sub-category of field agents who rotated between the smaller offices. Maybe they preferred it. Mentally shaking his head, he returned to the present.

After meeting with Clark and Mercer, Tim spent some time with the loaner agent, a vaguely familiar face. Eventually the two of them remembered why each looked familiar to the other. Several years ago, Dwayne Wilson spent a week with the MCRT before he went to FLETC and had saved a case and quite possibly a life by his quick thinking and actions. He was now a SFA with enough experience to be acting SAIC for a week. With a laugh, the two acknowledged their previous connection, quickly moving on. Wilson brought his family with him for the few days he'd be here, saying they were happy to be away from the constant humidity of Manila, where they were posted.

Tim asked if there was a transfer in Wilson's immediate future and he nodded, "We're coming up on three years in the Philippines and yes, we want to go home or to Europe. At least somewhere with better weather! Since we moved to Manila, my wife has been diagnosed with asthma and the humidity and air pollution is hard on her."

They hadn't had any cases while he'd been here. Tim wouldn't officially report until Monday but the team was not on call over the weekend, which left only Friday in question. Tim frowned, "Who's on call over the weekend?"

"This weekend is the Kuala Lumpur office. They're about 5 ½ hours away. Manila is a 9 hour flight from here and Singapore is 5 hours."

"So how does that work?"

"On paper, we rotate weekends but truthfully, other than getting as many details as possible, each team handles most of their own cases even when they're not on call. If a case has more cyber impact than physical, the on call team handles it. Other than that, the cut-off seems to be the flight time. If it's more than 5 hours, the resident team gets called in. If it's less than 5 hours, and depending on the type of case, the on call team travels to the scene.

"Our jurisdiction is all over Southeast Asia, so any of the teams could end up handling call outs in Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, any of the countries that make up Southeast Asia. As you can imagine, they're also more politically important, we're always in the public eye first as Americans and second as law enforcement. No shortcuts out here, not that any of us would use them, but evidence must be well established before any arrests are made. From what I've seen and been told, over the years we've built up fairly good relationships with local law enforcement but things change, leaders change, relationships change so we've always got to be fast, thorough and right. And if you're not right, let our SSAIC know immediately.

"Having said all that, we don't have the constant flow of cases as they do at home or I guess in Europe. However, the Department of Defense and the DoN insist that NCIS continue to support the Navy and Marine presence as locally as possible. We've been a force here since World War II, the Korean and Vietnam wars."

Tim nodded. "It's a big task to take on."

"Yeah, if you were planning to do any personal traveling on the weekends, that will be tough. We're enjoying Perth, though, lots to see and do here and much less humidity."

"Good, thanks for the info. Now, I need to pick my team's brain about buying a car!"

Wilson grinned, "I'm just glad you're not running screaming out of the building. I hope buying a car here is easier to do than it was for us."

When Tim asked his new co-workers, they told him what they'd been told, reporting that they'd had no problems. Smiling, Dwayne handed him an envelope he'd found in the SAIC's desk, addressed to Tim McGee.

Fortified by the experiences of his new team and the letter from their former SAIC, Tim took Uber back to the hotel, where he relieved the babysitter. While he and Lu had things they needed to do, he'd be back to work soon and wanted to spend as much time as possible with his children.

When the twins woke from their nap, they swarmed their father, who gave them plenty of love before announcing it was time to go swimming! Cheering happily, they grabbed their swim gear and put it on, waiting for Daddy to help them with their special flotation shirts. Having learned early on to get himself ready before his children, Tim grabbed towels and off they went.

They were still playing in the kiddie pool when Lu returned from her adventures. Helping her carry groceries to their room, they chattered about their day. While they put the food away, Tim told them about meeting Agents Clark and Mercer and finding someone he knew at the office.

Over a yummy dinner cooked on the single burner and the microwave, Lu told them about what she'd seen and done in Merriwa. That was fun and her family was even more excited about going there the next day! During story time that night, Tim started a new story about the adventures of Miss Lizbet and Mr. Jace in Merriwa. He threw in a few of the details he'd noticed at the daycare as well as a few things about the house including the twins' new room and their big backyard. They wouldn't see the interior of the house until they moved in but they did have permission to see the outside, especially the backyard!

Lu was a little afraid the children would be too excited to sleep but Tim told them they had to go to sleep or they would be too tired and wouldn't have fun on their adventure. He read them another story that they knew well. Reading slowly in a very soft voice, the two were soon yawning and fell asleep. Lu shook her head, "I sometimes forget you raised Sarah and Robbie – and I was there!"

While the kids slept, their adults had fun putting everything together for the next day. Lu packed drawing pads and crayons while Tim dug out their picnic blanket and a large tote bag, one they commonly referred to as their beach bag. An insulated, zippered backpack would safely keep their food and drinks cool until they were ready to eat. The beach bag would carry the blanket, towels, extra diapers, sun hats, two tubes of sunscreen, light jackets for each of them, plastic bags for garbage and other uses, the drawing paper and crayons as well as a couple of picture books to amuse the kids if they got too tired. Lu and Tim added their own current reading material. They were keeping a secret for tomorrow – the beach!

After visiting the daycare, they'd have lunch at the park and then drive to the beach. They knew they'd at least get their feet wet and threw in four pairs of flip flops in case they wanted to do some serious wading. One of the plastic bags could be used to collect shells or other beach treasures. Both of the adults' phones were fully charged and ready to take photos for their family and friends at home. Since they had the car, Tim stuck an additional 'blanket', in this case a full sized beach towel, thinking the twins might take their afternoon nap in the sand. Ms. Shelley said they could rent beach umbrellas at the beach; Tim planned to rent one large enough to protect the four of them from the blazing sun.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

As he hoped would happen, the children loved the daycare, saying hello to everyone and playing with a few children close to their age. There were hugs when they left, the twins promising to come back after they lived in their new house. Tim chuckled at their phrasing, they knew what they meant!

From the daycare, they drove to the park where they ran around for a few minutes, the kids chasing the adults, before sitting down on the blanket in the shade for their lunch. As their sunscreen was only good for 80 minutes, it was reapplied to all four of them. Tim would be on overdrive with sun protection while they lived here in what was called the 'melanoma capital' of the world. Before they left San Diego, he'd ordered swim attire for all four of them that had built in UV and UVA protection, that should arrive at the agency next week. They'd also wear hats and continue applying sunscreen.

After they finished eating, they climbed back into the car and went to see what their new house looked like. That was fun, they ran around in the backyard, while Daddy vowed to put locks on the gates the day they moved in. By that time, both twins needed changing and, finding a shady spot, Tim took care of that. They would start potty training once they moved and were settled. Lizbet was already telling her adults when she needed a change and Jace was beginning to figure it out, too.

After they were changed, Tim told the children there was one more surprise for them. Would they rather stay here and run around some more or find out what the surprise was? They chose the surprise, at the tops of their mighty little lungs.

When they parked by other cars, that wasn't anything new for the twins. When Daddy and Gwama put their sun hats on them, that wasn't new either. Then they walked on the sand, that was fun, all slippy and slidey and they held onto Gwama and Daddy's hands. They'd walked on, and in, sand before, they often went to the beach in San Diego and of course they'd stayed on a beach on the way here and now they were happy to see it again. It was a lot hotter here than San Diego though. They stopped while Daddy got them a big huge umbrella and the twins smiled, remembering those from before.

As they realized their surprise was a whole big beach, the twins looked at each other, squealing with glee. They tried to run but didn't get very far in the sand. Eventually, they found a place to put their blanket, close to the water, took their shoes off, had more sunscreen applied and put their flip flops on. Then, holding on to either Gwama or Daddy, they went splashing into the Indian Ocean. Tim and Lu looked at each other, disbelieving that their feet were in the _Indian Ocean_.

Raised on an island in the Atlantic, first Puerto Rico and then the Pacific in Japan, San Diego and Northern California, followed by being close to the Atlantic in Maryland, Tim never dreamed he'd someday see this ocean.

Lu was just as excited as Tim. She was raised in the Southwest and her water experiences were lakes, rivers and the Gulf Coast, a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, until she moved to Maryland as an adult. There she experienced Chesapeake Bay and the wide Atlantic Ocean. It wasn't until she moved to San Diego with the McGees that she had her first experience with the Pacific Ocean.

Wondering how many oceans and seas his children would experience in their lifetimes, Tim recorded a video of their first steps into this ocean. As the twins could care less what water they were in, Tim also added a video of an excited Lu, who was squealing as loudly as the twins. Later, she grabbed her phone and captured his glee. Between recordings, there were many photos taken by the two adults.

They stayed at the beach through three applications of sunscreen, the twins napping under the beach umbrella while the adults took turns staying with them. When they woke, they had one last play in the ocean before drying off, cleaning up, applying more sunscreen and heading back into Perth to their hotel. Tim told Lu he wished they could go straight to the house, they were less than 10 minutes away. When she pointed out they'd have to sleep, eat and sit on the floor, he nodded. They'd come out here again next weekend or Lu could bring them during the week and in the meantime, he hoped the ship with their belongings would arrive earlier than scheduled.

Everyone had showers or baths when they got back to the hotel and after dinner, Tim took their swimsuits, blanket and towels downstairs to the hotel guest laundry room. The twins were ready for stories when he returned and he added today's adventures onto the story he'd started last night.

After the kids were asleep, Tim checked his phone, finding several responses to the photos and videos he'd sent out. Laughing, he told Lu that he didn't think they'd have any lack of friends visiting them, now that everyone saw how close the beach was to their new house and how great that beach looked. As it was still deep winter in Maryland, Virginia and DC, people were cold and a warm, or in this case hot, beach almost always has a certain allure!

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

By Monday, they'd been back to Merriwa, to the park and beach again. They'd also driven to another beach for some fun, although they preferred 'their' beach. The tracker for the ship carrying their belongings showed the ship right where it was supposed to be, to Tim's disappointment. However, he'd be returning to work today and that would certainly make the next 10 days fly by as they waited for their stuff.

After their wonderful weekend, Lu realized she needed different clothes. She could pack away anything with long sleeves along with all but the lightest of her jackets. When she heard that winter temperatures here sometimes dropped as low as 50°F, she laughed herself silly, glad she had a few sweaters to wear when it got 'that' chilly. After arranging for the hotel babysitter to care for the twins, she took herself shopping. She'd had a chat with one of the hotel employees who was around her age and gave her the names and addresses of her favorite stores.

She spent the day trying on and buying clothes. What she would call summer clothes would do for year round here, with a sweater or light jacket for the 'winter' months. She bought two more swimsuits, knowing they'd wear out fairly quickly and found additional suits for Tim and for the children, complete with flotation shirts with UV and UVA protection, Now they'd have two full sets when those Tim ordered arrived. Two pairs of sandals, a pair of water shoes, additional beach towels, beach chairs, and sun hats with wider coverage, several tubes of high numbered sunscreen, first checking to ensure it was safe for her grandbabies, a larger and more casual handbag and she was done. As she drove back to the hotel, she sent a text to Tim, asking what time he'd be home.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

For his first day on the job, Tim felt everything had gone well. They'd had a case come in but it proved not to be theirs and Tim enjoyed watching his agents examine the dog tags to find the mistake made by the forger. When they each found it, he turned to the Perth Metro PD officer. "That's a fake dog tag. If you'd like, I'll show you how we caught it." The other officer nodded and Tim had Ty show him the mistake. Back at the office, they quickly wrote up their reports before returning to cold case files.

Tim was dismayed at how tired he was that evening, apparently he wasn't used to working anymore. Of course it had been awhile since he'd been in the field but he hadn't had to chase anyone down and the body was not particularly gross. Heck, it wasn't even their case! After the twins were asleep, he swam for nearly an hour, hoping it was lack of exercise that tired him. He could fix that!

Tuesday morning, he took a multivitamin with breakfast. Lu raised an eyebrow and he explained. She shook her head, "I've been more tired than usual since we got here. My new friend at the front desk says it happens when people travel so far. Even with our stop, we flew through several time zones. Major jet lag. And don't forget, new jobs and moving are two of the highest stress situations for people. You're now the lead instead of the second in command. On top of that, it's only been 3 months since you lost Dee and I know you're worried about Gibbs. Cut yourself some slack, Timmo. You should take a B-Complex supplement as well as the multivitamins."

Getting up, she fished in one of the cabinets, bringing out a small bottle. Shaking out a tablet, she handed it to Tim who obediently took it. Giving him a hug, she added, "And continue swimming laps, maybe walk or run in the morning. Just don't push yourself too much."

He nodded with a smile, "Thanks, Lu. I feel better just talking about it."

She huffed, "When you were at the Navy Yard, did you do something every weekend? I mean like going to the beach?"

"No, we were usually both so tired all we wanted to do was stay home with the babies and each other. We took them to the park and did some fun stuff but not both days and we made sure we had downtime too. That is, when we were both home on the weekends. As you know, there were times neither of us made it home."

"I remember. Did you send Mrs. Webster the video?"

"Yes, I sent it to her son to show her."

"Good, I imagine she's missing our babies a great deal."

Tim nodded with a sigh. "We left DC in a tearing hurry and then Dee was gone before our stuff even arrived. That was all surreal. And now we're here. Sometimes it seems too much to comprehend." He held up a hand, "I know, I was the one in a hurry to leave San Diego. I just…I guess I wasn't thinking as clearly as I believed I was."

Lu patted his face, "You're grieving, son. Grief doesn't have a timeframe, no matter how they try to explain the process. It's not like you finish one part, go on to the next part and then, boom, you're done. We're human beings, we don't operate like that. And grief can be elusive. You might be fine for months and then wham, something reminds you of your loss. Over time, you'll learn more about how to deal with it so it doesn't knock you down every time."

"I promised Dee I'd move on. I'm not sure I know how to do that."

"And you probably don't, not yet. You might figure it out or one day you might realize you have moved on without thinking too much about it. Tim, once we get settled, I wish you'd think about joining a support group. If it's too difficult to do in person, I mean because of your hours, then find one online."

He took a deep breath. "I should do that, yes. I will, Lu. Now, I have to go to work."

"Less than 10 days until the ship docks."

He smiled at that, kissing her cheek as he left their suite.

During their downtime at the agency, Tim took his new team to a local firing range where they spent hours working together. When he was satisfied with their progress, they returned to the office. He pulled up old case files from his years on the MCRT and had them investigate the crimes without referring to the file. He gave them little bits of theory or evidence at a time. He did everything he could think of to strengthen their knowledge and experience in investigating. Of course, since they hadn't had a case, he had no idea if they even needed help.

He hoped that his impatience with their lack of cases didn't show. They worked on cold cases while he gave in and began searching for any hints, any traces of Gibbs' whereabouts. Where he'd been, where he might have been going, anything. Time after time he hit the same brick wall, one that he was beginning to acknowledge really did have Ziva's name on it.

His second week as SAIC, they landed a homicide. This time, it was one of their own and it took them a few days to track the victim's movements. By the following Tuesday, they had motive and opportunity. By the end of that week, they had their suspect in Interrogation where Tim broke the dirtbag within a few minutes. Their murderer was overwhelmed at the evidence they'd gathered and his story spilled out. After signing his statement, the man was hauled to the local lockup, awaiting trial.

While they were investigating the case, the ship carrying their belongings finally arrived. Lu directed the moving company first to the ship and then to the house in Merriwa, taking the twins to their new daycare. While they made new friends, their Gwama Wu supervised the placement of furniture and boxes in the new house.

When Tim returned to the hotel one night after work, the folks at the front desk handed him a note from Lu saying they'd checked out, he should drive home to Merriwa.

With a smile, he said goodbye to the hotel staff, got back in the agency sedan and did just as Lu said, drove to his new home.


	4. Chapter 4

In show canon, per Delilah in Season 14, "Something Blue", her father is deceased. I could have sworn he was mentioned or present in the Season 11 episode "Double Back". Anyway, in this story, Colonel Charles Fielding, Delilah's father, is very much alive as a new original character. He's not new to me, I gave him a name, made him a retired Marine Colonel and have at least two other story outlines where he appears. One of those might be written into a full story someday.

Also, I wrote this chapter and the story before...well, I don't want to spoil anything for those who haven't seen all of Season 17 yet. Let's just say this chapter is now more AU than the rest of the story.

* * *

Notes in the Key of Life

Chapter 4

Over the next weeks and months, the family settled into their new home, daycare and work, making new friends, exploring their new hometown and in Tim's case, having more time to search cyberspace for any clues as to Gibbs' whereabouts.

Life in Merriwa was pleasant, people were friendly and welcoming and the family found it exciting to live in a country new to them. As Lu remarked, it was always easier to meet new people when there were children involved. They met other parents and grandparents through the daycare, the twins were invited to or hosted play dates, parents mingled at birthday parties, sports events and social events. After some discussion, the family joined a church that was somewhat of a compromise between the two adults. That provided more social structure and introduced them to more people.

When they felt the children were well settled, Lu and Tim began potty training the twins. It didn't take long and, barring a few mishaps, became a milestone check mark in the kids' memory books. As Tim marked them, he realized it was the first milestone since Delilah's death.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

As Dwayne Wilson told Tim, cases in Southeast Asia were far more political. In fact, Tim sometimes despaired that the politics outweighed the crimes committed. Nevertheless, he worked hard with his team, asking his peers and his boss for advice as needed and kept going.

After solving that first homicide together, the team's next case was in Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia. On the island of Java, the massive city has more than nine million residents. The case was suspected money laundering. That meant digging into cyberspace for evidence before flying nearly five hours to do their physical investigations. With additional travel between Jakarta and locations in the country of Malaysia, they tied together the evidence, electronic and physical. In the end, Tim's team, two agents on loan from other NCIS teams and agents from Interpol, Malaysian and Indonesian law enforcement were successful in working together to bring down the entire ring, with three locations in Indonesia and two in Malaysia.

The Perth team was away from home for over two weeks but Tim kept up with his family via Skype calls. Once home, he hugged and kissed his children, hugged Lu and had a bite to eat before falling into bed, sleeping for fourteen hours.

The Jakarta case served to establish a new reputation for the Perth team. While they'd been a good team before, they were now seen as a strong and determined team. With Tim's ability to listen, interpret and understand other law enforcement entities, his willingness to share information and work together did well for his team and for NCIS in Southeast Asia.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

When Leon Vance heard about Tim's work, not only from SSAIC Yates but also through the director's contacts in Interpol, he smiled proudly and then wished he could bring McGee back home, or to another office closer to home, sooner than planned. He knew he could do it, he was the director after all, but he also felt it wouldn't be fair to Tim and might cause some resentment among the field community.

The other impediment to moving him to another office was the threat to his safety. Agreeing with his agent that what little information they'd found pointed to Ziva as foe, Vance selected the most isolated office NCIS had in the world, in the isolated city of Perth, to assign Tim.

If Ziva showed up there, she'd be noticed. Knowing Tim already had his family secured, Vance used his contacts to keep eyes on the points of entry to Perth. Having no idea what Ziva was up to, and certainly not why she would turn against Gibbs, the director was not taking any unnecessary chances with his agent.

What he hadn't taken into account was the travel the SE Asia teams undertook for nearly every case. After the Perth's team call-out to Jakarta, he corrected that.

Pulling up what he called his dream sheet, he looked at it, making some revisions and frowning at the results. With a sigh, he closed the document without saving the changes.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

Because of the 24/7 nature of his work, he could be called to a case anytime, Tim and his family didn't travel as much outside Perth as they'd hoped. One weekend they flew to Sydney, enjoying the sights and experiencing the city life there. Lu was thrilled to see the famous Opera House and enjoyed a tour while Tim took the twins on a coastal walk that started from the Bondi Promenade. When Lu rejoined them, they took a bus tour, hopping on and off when they wanted to explore somewhere.

It was a great weekend, with no calls for Tim.

Their next trip, planned over an Australian holiday, was to Christchurch, New Zealand. Although it was a long flight, nearly 9 hours with 1 stop, they made it and thoroughly enjoyed their visit to the lovely city and country. On the way home, the return flight just as long as the outgoing one, they'd reached the airport in Perth when Tim received a call-out, this time to Hobart, on the Australian Island of Tasmania.

After confirming with dispatch in Singapore, Tim asked his agents to bring his gear and go bags and the travel version of their crime scene materials, along with their own gear and go bags, to the airport while Lu took the children home, grateful they'd made it back to Australia before the case landed on Tim.

Unfortunately, there were no direct flights from Perth to Hobart that day. They could fly to Melbourne and catch a flight but the last flight to Hobart from Melbourne would leave in less than an hour, they'd miss it. There was a ferry from Sydney, but it didn't run at night and even if it did, wouldn't land them in Hobart until morning.

Tim contacted Dispatch who gave them the contact information for the Hobart Metro Police. Calling them, Tim explained the situation to the Chief who committed to securing the scene until their arrival. The body could not be left at the scene; however, his people would take photos from every angle before the coroner took it to the morgue. He had his detectives send the photos they'd already taken and Tim asked for an additional one of the dog tag, a close-up, explaining the forgeries they sometimes found. He knew this was an NCIS case when the photo displayed a genuine dog tag.

Two hours later, the team walked into a jet for their late night flight to Sydney. They'd have a three hour layover there before catching a flight to Hobart, Tasmania. It wasn't pretty, but it would get them to their deceased Petty Officer and the crime scene faster than any other set of flights.

Tim fell asleep as soon as he sat down in his seat, sleeping the entire four hours and ten minutes of the flight. His teammates smiled at him when he woke to the smells of coffee and hot food.

"Have a nice sleep?"

"Hey, I flew 13 hours today, I mean yesterday, I needed that!"

Agent Mercer grinned, "I'm glad you checked out the dog tag, Tim. Hate to fly out there and then discover he's not one of ours!"

Tim resisted rolling his eyes as the flight attendant was there with more coffee. Once on the ground, they checked the boards, relieved to see the flight to Hobart was scheduled to leave on time, in three hours. Renting a cart for all of their baggage, they found a 24-hour restaurant and sank into a booth, ready for sleep. However, they settled for more coffee and a full breakfast.

Peasy, the detective who'd first investigated their dead Petty Officer, met them at the airport in Hobart in the morning, saying something about them looking pretty alert after their long flight.

Tim smiled, "Thanks! Now, without further ado…"

Amused, the detective helped them to his vehicle, parked in front of baggage claim with a big placard, "HMPD Official Business" in the front window. The drive to the police department was about 20 minutes and Tim was happy the three of them stayed awake.

First they went to the morgue to run the fingerprints of their sailor. Mercer ran them on the scanner and stopped. He looked at Tim with a strange expression on his face.

Tim raised an eyebrow, "Problem?"

"I don't know how that dog tag got onto our body, but our dead PO is a member of the U.S. Army, not the U.S. Navy. He's Sergeant Kenneth Andrews."

Tim tilted his head, "Huh, that's interesting. Ok, since he is a member of the U.S. military, let's head out to the crime scene and I'll contact our boss."

Before he did anything else, he asked the coroner if there were any signs of their dead sergeant having been killed elsewhere.

The man shook his head, "No, once we knew you couldn't be here until morning, I did a more in depth examination than I usually do at the scene. I'm satisfied that the deceased died where he was found. With a stab wound to the gut, I'm sure he bled out quickly. I'll start the autopsy in a few minutes."

Tim thanked the man before the detective drove the team to the crime scene where the agents got busy. Peasy was interested in the case but as he was no longer responsible, he decided not to ask questions.

Tim called Cassie Yates. "Good morning, Agent Yates. We're at our crime scene in Hobart, Tasmania, and have two mysteries on our hands."

"Good morning, Agent McGee. Congratulations for getting there as quickly as you did and without having to swim! What's going on with the case?"

"Hobart Metro PD was kind enough to send us a close-up photo of the dog tag last night and we verified it's genuine. However, when we viewed the body today, the fingerprint scanner shows the deceased as a sergeant in the U.S. Army. He's wearing the uni of a Petty Officer, there's nothing in the pockets or on the uniform to indicate who it belongs to. We're continuing to investigate the crime but in the meantime, if you have a contact for the Army, I'll call them."

"I'll handle that, Tim. The closest Army CID is in Hawaii; we may have to do their investigation for them. Since you're on the scene, I'll have someone start the search for our real P.O."

"Cassie, will you hold off on that for a few hours? He may be here on the island. The Chief has offered us a conference room to work in, so we'll start with his records and go from there. And, permission to use their lab if they're amenable?"

"Of course and yes, we'll hold off on the search for a few hours."

"Five hours? I'll call with an update."

"Agreed."

Disconnecting, Tim started his search for Petty Officer Steven Hendricks. As he searched, he found that Hendricks had reported his dog tags stolen four days ago, during a bar fight in Tokyo. He'd been on leave, his ship was still in port this morning, Tim thought the sailor might still be in the brig, or at least confined to the ship.

Peasy overheard Agent McGee telling his team to keep working the crime scene, that Army CID might or might not send a team to take the case. Now he had to ask!

"This isn't your case after all?"

"Yes and no. The corpse is U.S. military but not Navy or Marine, which is what we handle. Excuse me, need to update the boss again."

The detective grinned, "That's the same everywhere, right?"

Tim nodded, "Oh yeah."

Once they finished with the scene, the NCIS team continued to cyber investigate Andrews and Hendricks. Tim updated his boss with the theft of the dog tags and whereabouts of P.O. Hendricks.

His phone rang a few minutes later. "Are you done with the crime scene?"

"Yes. We have the evidence we've found and when we get to Metro PD, they'll sign off their physical evidence and photos. The coroner has started the autopsy."

"All right. There's been a change of plans. I had a conversation with a Colonel Mann who says she knows you and trusts you implicitly."

"I thought she retired. Nice to hear, though."

"Apparently she returned to work. She's in DC but somehow caught wind of the case or your name, not sure which. Anyway, she's impressed with what you've done so far, as am I and asks that you and your team stay with the body and the evidence until Army CID reaches Hobart, estimated at 48 hours from now. They do not want us to go any further with the case, except our interview with Hendricks, which has already been assigned to the Yokosuka team. With the evidence in their evidence lockup and the body in their morgue, you and your team are off duty. Get hotel rooms, agency's paying, get some sleep, food and for heaven's sake, have some fun, do some sightseeing."

"Agent Yates, if I'm understanding you correctly, you want us to use the next 48 hours, the next two days, as personal time?"

"Yes. It'll be on the books as work but yes, use it as personal time."

"Thank you from all of us! Then when Army CID arrives, Metro PD will sign over to them?"

"Yes. They asked that you wait there to maintain a U.S. presence, which will help in a court trial and in case they have any questions, which we know they could do via video chat. I'm sure they'll ultimately pay for your stay and if not we will, so no worries. Sign over what physical evidence your team gathered to the local LEOs, then Army CID can sign for all of it when they get there."

"Got it, thanks again."

"There has to be some payback for all the flights we take around here. Not to mention the holiday in Australia, you shouldn't have to work."

Tim looked at the phone in surprise and then shrugged, "First time I've ever heard that at NCIS!"

They both laughed as the call was disconnected.

Gathering his team, Tim updated them and then signed their bags of evidence over to the detective who was still a bit mystified but decided to go with the flow. Riding to Metro PD with him, his juniors waited while Tim explained to the Chief who was visibly amused. "Hope you enjoyed the flights, Agent McGee, and I am glad you'll be able to see the island. Do you have lodging yet?"

"Yes, sir." Tim told him the name of the hotel Glynee booked for them.

"Excellent, it's walking distance to a beach and there are restaurants and cafes out there. We'll be happy to give you and your team a ride over there."

"Thanks, appreciate that."

Detective Peasy was happy to drive the agents to their hotel, giving them information about his favorite sights, beaches and eateries along the way. When he heard that the two younger agents didn't have swim gear with them, he insisted on stopping at a discount store. Hannah and Ty walked out with new swimsuits, towels, sunhats and more tubes of sunscreen.

When Tim called Lu to tell her about the case, she exclaimed. "That whole flight, for nothing?"

"Not exactly. They wouldn't have known without our fingerprint scanner that their dead Petty Officer was really an Army Sergeant. That probably wouldn't have turned up until they tried to verify the blood type listed on the dog tag. If it wasn't the same, then we would have been sent there anyway."

The twins were home and excited to see their father online. He signed to them and was pleased that they understood and together worked out what they wanted to say to him. "Great job! I'm glad you like daycare and staying home with Grandma Lu."

"You bring us presents, Daddy?"

"Is it your birthday?"

"No."

"Is it Christmas?"

"No." This was said by his son with a sad little sigh.

Tim laughed, "Maybe I'll bring you some sand or a rock from Tasmania."

"OOH, yes, pwease!"

He knew he would bring sand home whether he tried to or not; however, rocks could be trickier. He'd look online and ask at the front desk to make sure there were no laws against taking a couple of pebbles home. He knew it was discouraged in Hawaii and he knew that in Australia, climbing Uluru, also known as Ayers Rock, was banned as it is sacred to the indigenous peoples of the area.

Over the next 48 hours, less their sleep time, he and his teammates crammed in sightseeing, time on the beach, swimming in the hotel pool, shopping for souvenirs and eating at the restaurants recommended to them by Detective Peasy and the staff at the hotel.

When the Army CID flight was due, the NCIS group packed up their souvenirs, Tim bought shells for the twins, mailed postcards home to the U.S. and put their agent clothes back on after living in casual clothes and their swim suits. Tim had had everything he needed with him while Hannah had fun buying 'island clothes' and Ty sent several gifts home to the U.S. All three agents purchased flip-flops for the beach and pool.

They were relaxing on the hotel terrace after beverages and bar food when Tim heard a familiar voice. "Well, well, McGee, if Gibbs could see you now!"

Tim was surprised to see Colonel Hollis Mann, he hadn't thought she'd come all this way herself. He smiled, "Following boss' orders, Colonel. My new boss, that is. Left the MCRT last September."

Standing, he shook her hand before introducing her to his team. She greeted them and then turned back to Tim.

"I was sorry to hear about your wife, Tim. I contacted Leon to update him and he told me what happened. And I'm Hollis, please."

Tim nodded and then frowned, "Ma'am, do you know anything about Gibbs?"

"I do not, I'm sorry to say. Leon told me that as well. It's hard to believe that Ziva would harm him."

"Yes, it was hard to believe. Until I started connecting the dots. He's been missing for 6 months now, Col…Hollis. He and I were captured and mistreated for 4 months a couple of years ago and he told me if I hadn't been along, he would have let go."

"I saw him after that, he was bragging about being Poppy to your babies. He won't let go, Tim, not willingly. He won't leave those babies, you or the others."

Closing his eyes, Tim swallowed, hard. "Things don't always work out the way we want them to."

"Timothy McGee, I know you're not a quitter. Don't you quit believing in him!"

"I won't, ma'am, uh Hollis. Have you been to the PD yet?"

"Yes. I've got a team coming in, but they got a later start than I did so they won't be here until tomorrow. I decided to come ahead, gave me a chance to see you. Leon says to tell you he misses you around the place."

Tim just nodded. Then he smiled, "Too bad you won't have time to visit Perth. My kids, mom and I have a great house, it's huge!"

"Your mom? I thought…"

Tim interrupted her, "Lu helped us growing up. She's the closest thing to a mom we've had and she's been Grandma to the twins since they were born."

"Oh good! Sadly, I won't have time to visit, I indulged myself by coming this far. I keep threatening to retire again so they occasionally let me out to play a little. How's DiNozzo?"

"He's doing well. Haven't heard from him in a few weeks." And didn't expect to as he and Tali were in hiding but no one else needed to know that.

They talked a little longer and then Tim signed the form giving the U.S. Army jurisdiction over the case. Hollis smiled, "Do you have a rental?"

"No, we already turned it in."

"Then how about I drive you to the airport?"

Gathering their personal belongings as well as their gear and their crime scene kits, they managed to get it all in the trunk of the Colonel's rental and drove to the airport.

After Tim and Hollis exchanged brief hugs, she shook hands with the other two. "I'm proud to meet Tim's first field team, you're lucky people and will do well with him and wherever you go next."

They relaxed on the flight back to Sydney. From there, they'd connect to a flight to Perth with just enough time to make their second flight. At one point Tim just started laughing. When his agents looked at him, he shook his head, "Think about it. We rush to get over here, I know you two were scrambling to get to the office and the airport. And then it's ours but not ours. But we have to wait to hand it off, even though we passed the evidence to the PD, so we don't have custody of anything. Then the boss tells us to have fun for a couple of days. And then, to top it all off, my former boss's former girlfriend, who used to run Army CID, shows up to handle everything. Wow."

"Gibbs' former girlfriend?"

"She runs Army CID?"

"Yep and she used to, doubt she does now as she did retire at one point. When she met Gibbs at a crime scene, one of my teammates asked another teammate who she was, and she replied, 'Gibbs' future ex-wife.' There were definitely sparks."

"Did they marry?"

Tim shook his head. "No. Boss was done getting married and divorced by that time."

"You're close to him."

"You heard me tell the Colonel that Lu is the closest thing I've had to a mom. Gibbs, even before he knew it, is the closest thing I've had to a dad. Don't get me wrong, stories about how tough he is are usually true, but he was always there."

"Do you mean you were an orphan?"

"Both parents were gone by the time I was 9, so yes." He smiled, remembering Lu, Nate, Juanita, Geordie, Sarah, Robbie and Geordie's four tent mates who were now extended family. "But I wasn't alone. Had plenty of family."

"That's good!"

He smiled, "Yes, it is. They're a blessing, each and every one of them."

Closing his eyes, he napped the rest of the way to Sydney. Once they'd disembarked, they hurried to the gate for their flight home. As they stood in line to board, Tim blinked as he thought he saw someone he knew heading down the gangway to the plane. He shook his head, thinking he'd had too much time off and too much sun!

This time, he took the aisle seat instead of the window. Once the jet reached altitude, Tim got up to stretch his legs. He walked for about twenty minutes before returning to his seat. When they finally landed, he said goodbye to his teammates, reminding them they'd have to actually work the next day. All three of them laughed and he went off to meet Lu and his babies, who were at the airport to make sure he got all the way home this time.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

Seeing and talking with Hollis Mann triggered memories for Tim and those memories, the Colonel's insistence that he not give up hope and his previous thoughts about Gibbs ultimately led him to connecting with a few people he hadn't previously contacted.

All three had connections in the Middle East, one had access to someone with power, if things hadn't changed, and one of the other two had witnessed Ziva at low and high points. All three knew both Ziva and Gibbs.

The first one could only pass the word along about Gibbs being missing and what had happened in Alexandria. No promises were made, while the other two admitted to already being on the alert although without any success. Tim knew he was putting the second two in potentially sticky situations but, given the bureaucracy of his country and others, doubted that much was being done after so much time had elapsed. He trusted Vance, but wasn't sure how much the brass would allow after so long. He thought the higher ups would have given him up for dead by now or considered the attack on his home and his disappearance as a personal problem related to a rogue former Mossad and NCIS agent.

Refusing to give up hope, he prayed for the best resolution while he waited impatiently for any kind of news.

In the meantime, March 1st was the first day of Autumn in Australia. March rolled into April and as the temperatures in the US southwestern state of Arizona began to rise, the temperatures in Perth began to drop.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

A month after his team's return from Tasmania, Tim's father-in-law, Charlie Fielding, arrived from his home in Phoenix, Arizona. Tim met him at the airport on a Wednesday night after work, smiling at the man as he entered the Customs Hall. Charlie had followed Lu and Tim's example, taking a couple of days layover at the same beach they visited back in January. He was still tired, but not as bone weary exhausted as he believed he would have been otherwise.

Smiling at his son-in-law, he pulled him into a hug. "It's so good to see you! How long have you been waiting? How are you, the kids and Lu?"

Returning the hug, Tim chuckled as he replied, "I tracked your flight online so I've only been here for about 3 minutes, Jace and Lizbet are fine, excited about seeing you and Lu is also fine, excited about having our first house guest! And it's good to see you too. Feels like longer than 4 months!"

Charlie huffed, "Technically, it's 4 months and 10 days, but you're right! Makes sense with the big move, new home and job. I can't wait to see the house and meet some of your new friends and neighbors. Any chance I can visit your office, meet the team?"

"Sure." The baggage carousel for Charlie's flight came to life and the two men smiled when his suitcases were the first to arrive. Charlie admired the new car, a hybrid SUV big enough for the twins, their safety seats and 7 adults, including the driver. It was larger than Tim and Lu anticipated buying but it was only a year old and in perfect condition with low mileage. They convinced each other that hybrids were better for the environment and they'd need room in the family vehicle while Charlie and Ducky were staying with them. As their visits might last as long as 4 months, that point added credibility to their rationalizations.

"You never did say anything about buying another vehicle. I thought you needed two?"

Tim chuckled, "We do! When we got here I discovered I'm allowed to keep an agency sedan and drive it for personal use. That was a nice surprise! Every month I report total miles driven, then split them between agency and personal miles and pay something for the personal miles. The agency pays the insurance and maintenance. It's much less expensive than buying a car and one less detail to handle when we move. The only drawback is that my agents and I are the only ones allowed to drive it. So if the SUV is out of commission, Lu can't drive this, we'd rent a vehicle for the duration. That's not a problem, there's a rental place in Merriwa."

"Sounds like a great deal, Tim. I'm guessing they don't advertise the fact."

"I don't know if agency vehicles for personal use is a rule overseas or in the U.S., too."

"Now at the house, you'll have a choice of bedrooms. Two are downstairs and there's a shared bathroom between them. The others are upstairs and there's a hallway bathroom. Lizbet and Jace are now potty trained; they use a bathroom closer to their room."

"Hmm, how about I wait to see the rooms?"

"Sure, I just wanted you to know your choices."

"Thanks, son. Have you found out anything more about your former boss?"

Tim shook his head. "No. I talked to a few people several weeks ago, but I haven't heard any news since then. I believe he's alive. If he'd been killed, his killers would have made sure we found his body."

"Tim, this long…"

"I know, Charlie, but I'm not giving up on him, I can't."

"How well do you know the people you spoke with?"

"If you mean how much do I trust them, I trust two of the three and the third one owes Gibbs. He's the weakest link but I'm hoping he'll find some hint of something."

"I know I told you before but I'll say it again, I still have strong contacts in the Corps."

Tim smiled, "Thanks, Colonel. As I wasn't around when he disappeared, I don't know how much, if anything, the Corps or Navy were told. Or any other service."

"A missing federal agent kidnapped from his home?"

"By a woman who may be friend or foe."

"So maybe not an outright kidnapping."

"Right. It's possible they're on some sort of Ziva hatched operation. In which case they're probably in deep cover."

"Huh. Sounds like you might need help from Special Operations forces."

Tim sighed, "Can't ask for that, don't want to compromise my brother or have anyone feel like I'm asking for a personal favor."

"Gibbs is a federal agent, Tim. He may be a surrogate dad to you, but he's a federal agent. I don't think you need to tiptoe around this unless…huh. Does your director know you've been looking?"

"I'm relying on the premise that if he doesn't know, he doesn't have to do anything about it. And that will also give him plausible deniability."

"Tangled web, kiddo."

"I know."

"I'm not your father but I am damn proud of you for keeping the lights on for Gibbs and I'm sure he will be too."

Tim huffed, "No he won't; he'll head slap me from here to the Navy Yard for not following orders. He's still upset that I stayed with him in Paraguay."

"Of course, but I bet he's still proud and thankful that you did and will be again when you bring him home."

Tim swallowed, saying in a whisper, "I can't give him up, Charlie. I had no choice with Dee or with my dad and little brother. As long as there's no body, no evidence that he's dead, I can hang on to hope."

"Then that's what we'll do, kiddo, hang on to hope and keep praying."

They'd reached Merriwa now and Tim pointed out the park, the twins' daycare and eventually their house. Charlie's eyes widened, "I know you said it was big, but I thought houses were usually smaller outside the U.S. and our McMansions. Base housing certainly is!"

Tim chuckled, "They have what they call McMansions here, too, but this isn't as big as those are. We wanted 6 bedrooms and at least 4 bathrooms but nothing was available, so we have 7 bedrooms and 5 ½ baths."

"Why so large…guest bedrooms?"

"Yes, you and Ducky here during our winter, my sister and younger brother will probably come next summer as well as some of our friends from Baltimore and DC. Winter is pretty miserable in London and along the mid-Atlantic coast. The Mediterranean climate here in Western Australia is a real draw. "

"I remember Virginia, I did a tour at Quantico. For me it was the summers, I still can't stand humidity! I'm glad you didn't end up in Singapore or the Philippines, the humidity in both countries is nearly constant and the humidity of Virginia and DC is a drop in the bucket compared to most of Southeast Asia."

Tim chuckled, "An agent I knew in DC is stationed in Manila. He and his family are leaving when he's up for transfer and he says this time they'll pay more attention to the weather before selecting an office."

"Selecting an office?"

"I'm told it doesn't happen all the time but when there are multiple openings, the Director likes to give his agents a choice." Tim chuckled, "I'm sure there are agents who are comfortable with high humidity. We have several offices in Florida and around the South and I've never heard of them being short of agents! Come on, let's get your bags inside and see what your grandchildren are up to!"

They found the twins helping Grama Wu make cookies. The two of them were sitting on a table scooping out cookie dough and putting it on the cookie sheet. They greeted their grandfather enthusiastically, covering him with flour, sugar and little crumbles of dough.

Laughing, he greeted Lu with a kiss to her cheek, saying he noticed she was now 'Grama', no longer 'Gwama'. She nodded with a grin. "They've mastered their 'Rs' but not yet their 'Ls'. I'm hoping when they do, they'll stick with 'Wu', it's a unique grandma name!"

Charlie chuckled, "I have a neighbor whose grand-and great-grandchildren call her 'Wawa'. Nobody remembers how it got started."

Lu chuckled, "We should meet, Wu and Wawa!"

After a tour of the house, Charlie decided to stay in one of the downstairs bedrooms. "Ducky and I can share the bathroom."

He spent a few minutes unpacking before his grandchildren came to tell him the cookies were ready. He grinned at the tall glass of cold milk waiting for him along with a plate of cookies. His family sat with him, enjoying their yummy treats. After they ate, Jace and Lizbet decided to show him their backyard.

Although they hadn't yet seen a snake near their house or yard, Tim and Lu were very much aware of the dangers and always checked the yard for the slithery, venomous creatures. Now Charlie also watched the perimeter as they walked.

Back inside, Tim and Lu smiled when Charlie started yawning, Lu saying, "Welcome to jet lag, it's time for your first nap."

He nodded and with a wave, disappeared into his room. Tim woke him up four hours later and after applying sunscreen and donning their UV protective swim gear and sun hats, the family headed for the beach.

Over the next few weeks, Tim and Lu found they enjoyed having another adult around the house. Charlie was great with the kids and liked to cook, giving Lu a break. He rented a car and took the kids sightseeing around the area, escorting them to and from day care.

Ducky arrived the first week of June. Tim was so happy to see him coming down the escalator at the airport that he had to stop himself from throwing himself into the older man's arms. Truth to tell, Ducky was just as happy to see Tim. Furthermore, he was pleased to notice that Tim seemed to have weathered the worst of his grief for Delilah although he knew it would never fully leave him. Like Tim, he was determined to believe that Gibbs was still alive, although after more than 9 months with no word, he found he had to work harder to maintain that belief.

Before he left for Perth, he'd had a long talk with Vance and was both dismayed and relieved at the reason Tim was assigned there. Dismayed that the director felt Tim needed protection from Ziva and relieved that he was in a city so isolated from the rest of the world.

Ducky easily settled into the household, enjoying the cooler temperatures and occasional rain that meant winter in Perth. None of the adults missed the extreme heat of Arizona or the humidity and heat, combined with rain, of the metro DC area.

Following in Charlie's footsteps, Ducky spent a lot of time with the twins, riding along on their adventures with their 'other' grandfather, Ducky was Granducky to the twins as well as the Palmers, sharing cooking duties with the adults and holding weekly story-telling sessions at the daycare.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

Tim thought he'd never had such a light workload in his life. His team averaged less than 3 cases a month and with the exception of their first case, all of them required air travel. By the end of July, the team had traveled to Hobart, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Port Hedland, Darwin and Cairns in Australia along with Bangkok, Jakarta, as well as cities in Malaysia, Brunei, Papua New Guinea and Sri Lanka.

While Tim appreciated seeing more of Australia and Southeast Asia, he sometimes felt that his team, likely all the teams in the region, spent more time in the air than solving cases. Still, he remembered what Dwayne Wilson told him, that the DoD and DoN were adamant about maintaining a strong presence.

In August, his team was called out to Darwin again, a flight of less than four hours. As this was their second trip to Darwin, they'd already established a working relationship with the local LEOs and it felt good to see his fellow Americans on the USMC base there.

Although the case was complex, they figured it out and had the case resolved in 2 weeks, after an unexpected side trip into the outback when the suspect made a run for it. That was wild and Tim expressed his gratitude for the able and very welcome assistance of local and state law enforcement. That was one suspect they were very happy to see locked up!

Catching an earlier flight home than planned, Tim collected the agency sedan from the carpark and after giving his agents rides to their homes, he drove to his own home. Looking at the time, he decided to stop at the daycare to pick up his children. Although he'd seen them on Skype, he couldn't wait to see them in person, to hug and kiss them.

Parking at the daycare, he held up his ID at the gate and was buzzed in. As he walked onto the porch, he was tackled by two little bodies nearly flying at him. Laughing as he caught them, he pulled them close for hugs. Both Lizbet and Jace were babbling away at how happy they were to see him, telling him what they'd done that day.

Eventually, they gathered their belongings, including their newest drawings, and climbed into the car with their father, all three of them beaming. When Tim pulled into the driveway at home, he grinned and waved at Ducky, who was just leaving the house to pick up the children.

He was given a warm welcome from his friend as well as Lu and Charlie. He'd mentally sorted out what he would tell them of the trip while the twins were awake, what else he'd tell Lu, Charlie and Ducky after the children were asleep and he'd find time later if Ducky wanted to know more. Although the good doctor had taken leave to spend the Australian winter with the family, he planned to return to work on his return. He'd told Tim he hoped to work part-time when he went back, eventually retiring.

"Jimmy is ready but I'd like to give him another year or so before he takes on the position of Chief Medical Examiner. Although Victoria is in kindergarten and young Davey in preschool, they're still very young. I'd like to give their father more time to enjoy them before he takes on the job as it can be physically and emotionally tough sometimes."

Davey was the Palmers' adopted son. After their first attempt at adoption, with the mother changing her mind, the Palmers changed their plan and once their daughter Victoria was past infancy, they became foster parents. Davey was their third foster child, an orphaned 3 month old little boy whose parents died in a car accident. They'd since had other foster children, some for a few days, a couple for several months, but Davey was the only one they'd adopted. So far.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

The weekend after his return from Darwin, Tim did his best to stay awake, to enjoy being with his family. However, he did take a few naps, which the twins thought was hilarious. As the winter's cooler temperatures were beginning to warm up and the locals believed they'd had all the rain they were going to get, the family ventured as far as the park for a picnic on Saturday and spent Sunday on the beach, although none of them even put their toes in the water. They brought a grill and cooked a late lunch, making sure to maintain their sun protection, even during the winter.

Back at work on Monday, Tim and his agents got busy with their reports, hoping they wouldn't have to travel anywhere but home at night for a week or so. By Thursday, they were done with the reports and switched to reviewing cold case files.

Late Friday afternoon, Tim's cell rang with a familiar area code although the caller ID was blank. Curious, Tim answered it, something he wouldn't normally do. "Hello."

"Timothy McGee?"

"Yes?" He recognized the voice but decided not to acknowledge the caller just yet.

"I was afraid you'd changed the number. There will be a package at the airport for you at 1700 your time today."

"Can you tell me more about it?"

"I'm afraid not, this is the only information I was given. Let me know how it goes, please."

"I will." Tim disconnected. He sat in thought before beckoning to his agents.

"This is probably nothing to worry about, but I've just had a call saying I have a package arriving at the airport at 1700. I recognized the caller's voice, it was someone I trust, but the caller ID was blocked and the person never said their name, which is odd. I don't think this is official agency business, but I'd feel better if I approached it that way. What I'm really saying is that I'd like you to accompany me. It's strictly volunteer and if you have plans, that's fine."

Hannah and Ty looked at each other and then at him, "We're in. How well armed should we be?"

"Vests under clothes and Sigs, no more than that. I'll also contact airport security."

"Do you think it's really a package or something else?"

"I'm hoping for something else but we won't know until we get there. We'd better take our papers with us, too."

As foreign nationals working for a U.S. agency in Australia, they carried their passports and work visas, as well as their badges and agency IDs with them all the time. That helped when they got call-outs to different countries, allowing them faster access to their case as well as making their return easier.

Tim sent a text to Lu, saying he'd be home a little late. He sent another text to Ducky, asking him to also tell Charlie, that he'd had a mysterious phone call that he and his team would check out. He also asked Ducky to bring the kids home from daycare as soon as possible and to 'batten down the hatches' at the house.

He had a reply from Ducky reminding him that the children hadn't gone to daycare that day, that he'd updated both Charlie and Lu about the situation and the house and property was now on 'lock-down'.

After placing a call to the head of security at the airport, Hannah and Ty rode in Hannah's car to the airport while Tim drove the agency sedan. They'd been directed by airport security to park in a lot that brought them closer to the terminals.

Walking into the Baggage Claims hall, Tim was pleased at the stepped up presence of airport security officers. His agents accompanied him to the 'Large/Odd size package' office where Tim identified himself, showing his badge, agency ID, passport and work visa. The woman in charge there smiled, "The flight hasn't landed yet, Agent McGee, they'll be on the ground in less than 5 minutes. Your package will be delivered here about 20 minutes after the plane reaches the gate."

"Do you know what it is?"

She shook her head, "No, sorry." She added, "I do know it's not dangerous; Customs already has the manifest and they are not on alert."

Tim nodded, "Thanks, that's more information than anyone else has had!"

She smiled again, glad to be of some help.

Tim left the office and paced the entire Baggage Claims hall. He stopped at one point to use the restroom and then resumed his pacing. His agents took turns pacing with him or sitting in a spot where they could watch the escalators, elevator and the 'Large/Odd Size Package' office.

Ty went upstairs, returning with a beverage holder with three cups of coffee. Tim sat with his agents while the trio enjoyed their drinks. When Hannah asked if Tim had any idea what the package might be, Tim started to answer and then stood, beaming. With tears rolling down his face and still smiling, he pointed, "Him!"

He ran toward the figure he saw being wheeled from the elevator. When he reached him, he leaned over and kissed the man's head. "Boss! Gibbs! I'm so happy to see you."

Gibbs looked up, his eyes watery, "Tim? You're here? Ah son, I didn't think…" He reached up and Tim reached out, the two hugging as best they could with Gibbs in a wheelchair. "Didn't think I'd see you again." Tim held on, finally looking around to see who'd brought him. He smiled at NCIS Special Agent Chad Dunham and Mossad Officer Malachi Ben-Gidon. "Thank you!"

Malachi smiled at him, "You have your friend in Afghanistan to thank for his being alive and free. She allowed us to work with her people."

Dunham nodded, "That's right. She put her best people onto finding Gibbs, then allowed us to join them. We found him being held in a cave and rescued him. When he was well enough, she charged us with getting him to you. The weird thing was, she didn't know where you were."

Tim frowned but decided he'd think about that later. "Who was holding him?" He knew when he looked at their faces and sighed. "I don't understand. Is he safe now?"

Gibbs made a noise, "Someplace else to talk?"

"Of course, we can go to my place." Tim looked at Dunham and Ben-Gidon, "Are you in a hurry, can you stay?"

Dunham snorted, "After that flight? No hurry and we've been through Customs, we're good to go."

Tim just nodded with a smile. "Ok, you three can ride with me."

Ty cleared his throat and Tim looked at him before chuckling, "Right, baby seats. Ok, we'll take one of them out. You'll be crowded but it's not far." He introduced his agents, thanked them for their help, wishing them a wonderful weekend. They left, a little reluctantly, both curious about Gibbs, where he'd been and what had happened to him.

While Tim wrestled one of the safety seats and its base out of the back seat, Chad and Malachi settled Gibbs into the front seat. Then the two men climbed into the back seat, sitting on either side of the remaining safety seat.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

Gibbs was afraid this was all a dream and he dreaded waking up. This dream was much better than those he'd had in the cave, the hospital or in Shada Shakarji's home. Here, he'd flown across the world and was now with the man he considered his son, Timothy McGee. They were in a car going somewhere and he'd seen evidence that two of his grandbabies were still alive. He didn't know why they wouldn't be but then he remembered her threats about hurting Tim and his family. He frowned as he remembered she'd also threatened to hurt Tony, his other son. But not Tony's daughter because she was her daughter too. Except she'd lost her mind, she was a wild woman, no longer capable of reason and twisting everything he said around to her purposes.

He frowned, now he'd lost his good dream. Forcing his eyes open, he reached out to touch Tim, reassured when Tim touched his arm. "It's all right, Boss, it's real, we're almost home."

Suddenly remembering their unexpected return from Paraguay, Gibbs relaxed a bit, still holding onto Tim's jacket. When the car stopped moving, he opened his eyes again and relaxed a little more. There were no mountains or caves in sight. Instead, he saw a house in front of him and Tim had the car door open while Dunham brought the wheelchair around. He made a face, he could walk a few steps. Except he felt awfully tired right now.

Tim squatted down, "Gibbs, this is my home. Ducky's here visiting and the twins are home, they didn't go to daycare today. Do you remember my friend Luella?"

Gibbs nodded, "From the shelter. Pretty lady. Your mom."

"Yes and grandmother to my children. There are a couple more things to tell you, Boss, that I don't know if you know. Dee…we lost Delilah right after the attack on your house. She was in an accident and the shrapnel from Parsa's attack killed her. When I was transferred here, Lu came with us to help with the kids. Ducky's also here and Dee's father is here now, too, visiting. His name is Charlie Fielding."

"Dee's dead? Aw Tim, I'm so sorry."

Gibbs wrapped his arms around his Tim, murmuring to him. Although he was in an awkward position, Tim didn't care, he finally had his Gibbs, his surrogate dad, back. He was alive and here in Merriwa, with Tim.

Eventually, they got him into the house, where Ducky, with tears streaming down his face, greeted his old friend with gentle hugs. Lu was almost as overwhelmed, hugging Tim and Gibbs. When Charlie brought the kids downstairs from the playroom, they ran to their grandfather. "Poppy! Poppy, you came back! Daddy said you would bu' we didn' know when."

Tim sat on the floor, holding onto his babies so they wouldn't try to climb into Gibbs' lap. Dunham and Ben-Gidon, neither of them family men, watched, glad to see the happy reunion and realizing how much it meant to these people to have Gibbs restored to them.

When Tim started to introduce Charlie to Gibbs, the twins beat him to it. "Poppy, this is our grandpa Charwie."

Charlie held out a hand, "I'm happy and relieved to meet you, Gibbs. Tim's told me a lot about you."

"Thank you, Charlie and it's Jethro. I'm so sorry to hear about Delilah. She was a wonderful person."

"Thanks, I know you understand."

Gibbs nodded and then squeezed Tim's hand. "Yes. I'm lucky though, have Tim and another chosen son and now grandkids. We're both lucky in that."

"And with Tim, yes."

Ducky and Lu intervened, the doctor insisting that Gibbs lie down for a few hours. "I can only guess at your injuries, Jethro, but I know a recovering patient when I see one."

Jethro smiled at him and Ducky leaned in for another hug. Tim didn't think he'd ever seen Ducky so demonstrative, except with his grandchildren, and that brought more tears to his own eyes.

Charlie decided to move upstairs to one of the empty bedrooms, that way Dr. Ducky would be close to his patient. He grabbed some of his things and then led Dunham and Malachi upstairs to find beds for them, too.

Tim insisted on helping Gibbs into his bed, glad to see he could walk a few steps. He was very thin and even fully clothed, Tim saw visible signs of injury. Ducky looked in Gibbs' bag, bringing out an envelope addressed to 'Doctor'. There were two pages in there, one in the Dari language, also known as Farsi, and another one, a translation of the first one into English. Dunham had already told Tim he'd do a second translation of the Dari document as he didn't know who'd done the first one.

Lu brought in a bowl of soup which made Jethro smile. "Haven't had soup, real soup, in a long time. What's the date?"

She told him, it was mid-August. He frowned. "I was home in September."

Tim nodded, "You were attacked in your home on September 24th. It's been almost eleven months since then."

"Wow. Do you know where I was?"

They shook their heads and Gibbs sighed. "She's lost her mind. Blamed me, us, for everything, her brother, her father, even all the way back to the bomb that killed her sister. She wanted to start training her daughter. I tried to get word to Tony. Are they all right?"

Tim nodded, "Yes. I'll tell you more later."

"And you're all right. Except Dee's gone, Parsa's bomb finally killed her. Son, I'm so sorry."

"I know, Boss and thank you. I'll tell you more about that later too. For now, have your soup, take whatever medications Ducky says to take and get some rest. We'll be here when you wake up, promise."

"What is it you used to tell Sarah and Robbie?"

Lu smiled at the memory as Tim said, "I promised that nothing exciting would happen while they were asleep."

Gibbs drank his broth and then took his pills as Ducky handed them to him, with a glass of water. Several minutes later when he made a face, Tim laughed, "Lu, would you excuse us, please? Gibbs needs to use the bathroom."

Chuckling, she left the room while Tim helped Gibbs to the bathroom and then hovered outside the door when Gibbs waved him away. On their return, Ducky smiled, "I'm glad to know your kidneys and bladder are working well."

He left the room while Tim sat with his children's Poppy, holding his hand until he fell asleep. When Gibbs appeared to be sound asleep, he kissed the top of his head again, tiptoeing out of the room just as he had when the twins were infants.

The others were in the dining room and Tim joined them, helping Charlie get the dinner he'd made onto the table. Friday was Pasta night, today's special was spaghetti and meatballs. Tim watched his children to make sure they took bites of the meatballs, didn't try to swallow them in one bite. The cooks in the family made the meatballs large so the children would have to take smaller bites, cutting them up with their forks, the adults helping when needed.

Tim smiled at their guests. "Welcome to our home and thank you so much for bringing our Poppy home to us. It's been a long 11 months without knowing where or how he was."

They nodded to him, their mouths full. Neither thought the dinner table the appropriate place to inform Tim and Dr. Mallard of the hell Gibbs had been through.

After they ate, the children and Charlie went to play in Granducky's room until it was time for their baths while the rest of the adults sat in the living room. After Jace and Lizbet were in bed, Tim and Lu found Charlie and the visitors still in the living room.

Dunham looked at Lu and Charlie. He'd been told that Colonel Charles Fielding still consulted with the Corps, thus retaining his security clearance. He moved his look to Tim, who gave him a discreet nod. Clearing his throat, Agent Dunham said, "Ma'am, I'm sorry but most of this is classified."

Tim made a noise, "Let's go upstairs to my office, that'll be easier."

Lu wanted to roll her eyes at him but knew he was also protecting her.

Upstairs, the five men, Ducky joined them, sat comfortably in Tim's office. Chad started, "After you contacted me and we spoke, I emailed Malachi and we decided to work together. However, when we started looking we soon found ourselves persons of interest to Shada Shakarji. That was pretty scary until we met with her and gained her trust. Eventually she told us she was also looking for Gibbs, at her daughter's request. And that Gibbs had once done something to help her when she, Shada, was in trouble in Mexico and the U.S. She felt she had a debt to repay."

Tim nodded and explained briefly what had happened when Shada tried to kidnap her daughter and granddaughter, first from Mike Franks' beach home in Mexico and then from Gibbs' home in Alexandria.

Malachi resumed their story, "After Shada Shakarji understood that we too were friends of Gibbs, she allowed us to join her search. We all agreed that Gibbs was not in Israel, there is nothing left of the farmhouse, not even rubble, where Ziva was supposedly killed and until a year ago, Mossad believed her dead. We decided she was either in South America, which made sense as it would have been easy to take Gibbs from the U.S. through Mexico or the Caribbean and head south, or in some other place where there were many places to hide. That led us to Afghanistan and the Shakarji family are of course experts in their home territory. Tell me, was Ziva aware of the attempted kidnappings?"

"Yes."

"That's another piece of the puzzle then. She'd met Shada so she might have, in her troubled state of mind, decided that keeping Gibbs prisoner in one of the cave systems in the Shakarji home territory would be a sort of coup for her."

"Do you know why she took him to begin with? I know what he's said but it's hard to fathom."

Chad nodded, "Gibbs also told us as he regained his health. She blamed him for not coming after her after the attack on the farmhouse. She also blamed DiNozzo but strangely enough, not you."

Cynically, Tim thought that was probably because she never really considered him one of her partners. However, if that meant his family had been saved from her madness, he'd take it.

Malachi sighed, "She blamed Gibbs for everything, going back to the deaths of her sister and mother, her father's indifference and willingness to throw her away, Ari's death, the death of Jennifer Shepard and the murders of Amit Hadar, Eli David and Director Vance's wife. In her mind, he'd become the demon who'd killed everyone around her. She blamed him while also declaring that he'd mistreated her, let her down, by not coming to look for her after the explosion. She also claimed to have looked for the two of you in Paraguay."

Tim shook his head, "That sounds like a complete breakdown."

"Yes, a complete and very violent one. She tortured Gibbs and then would give him time to heal, deprive him of food and water for days before 'coming to his rescue with water and food' and then beginning the cycle again. She drove steel bolts into the walls of the cave, he was kept in shackles. He remembers that she frequently forgot who he was, calling him Ari or Sergei Mishnev. He said sometimes she called him Tony and beat him severely every time that happened."

"What happened when you arrived to take Gibbs away from her?"

Both men took deep breaths. "She resisted arrest."

Tim shook his head, "Did you witness her death? See her body afterward? She's been dead twice before."

Malachi closed his eyes while Chad spoke, "She was shot in the head. She is very much dead, Tim. I know there are people who survive and recover from shots to the head but she was not one of them." Sitting across from the two rescuers, Ducky also closed his eyes.

Tim decided not to even try dealing with Ziva's death. Not yet, it was too much no matter how much time Gibbs had been missing, how much he'd suspected Ziva, that still had not been knowing. Focusing on Gibbs, he was silent for a few minutes before continuing with his questions. "What about the terrorist who was either trying to kill her or working with her? I don't know her name, I could only find vague rumors."

Dunham responded, "Sahar. We learned more about her from Shada. She had some sort of link with Ari Haswari, don't know what. She and Ziva were working together to capture Gibbs. She was the one that led the attack on Gibbs' house and we believe she had the connections to get Ziva and her prisoner Gibbs out of the U.S. In March, nearly six months ago, she made contact with Shada Shakarji, asking to meet with her.

"After days of negotiating, they met. Sahar reported that she believed Ziva to have lost her sanity, that she'd sold Sahar on helping her to capture Gibbs by lying about his supposed misdeeds, the primary one being that he was the one who killed Haswari. Once Ziva had Gibbs, Sahar watched her with him, spoke with Gibbs while Ziva slept. She said that she realized that Ziva had lied and that she, Sahar, would be in deep trouble for helping to kidnap an American Federal agent. She and her group split with Ziva before Sahar contacted the Shada. She'd heard a rumor that the head of the Shakarji family was searching for Gibbs and wanted to warn her about Ziva."

Tim sighed. "She might have felt she'd redeemed herself by talking with Shada Shakarji." He looked up, "Did Ziva have anyone else with her, anyone helping her?"

"No, she trusted no one. Gibbs told us that when she had to leave the cave, she'd gag and blindfold him."

"What was she planning to do, continue her routine with him forever?"

"We think that's where the madness took her, yes."

Tim put his head in his hands, his elbows on his desk, finally saying, "The madness of the Davids."

"Yes."

"Malachi, are you on leave?"

"I was on leave while Dunham and I searched, now I am on Mossad time to bring Gibbs here."

"In other words, Mossad wants to look good with the U.S. by having you bring him home."

"Yes, Timothy. Since Ziva was a former Mossad operative, they felt helping to deliver him alive might alleviate the anger the U.S. might harbor against them for sitting on their collective buttocks all those months. "

"They knew?"

"To have known anything, they first would have had to look. They knew from Director Vance and your State Department that Gibbs was missing. They did nothing."

Tim nodded, "I could see that though, Malachi. I'm not defending them but she hasn't been Mossad for several years now, thumbed her nose at them when she became an American citizen. And Gibbs is also an American citizen, no longer connected in any way with Israel or Mossad and they had no reason to think he was in Israel. Chad, how about you, are you on leave?"

"No, I'm currently involved in an undercover operation, with the director's knowledge."

"You mean while you were searching for Gibbs or when you were traveling with him?"

"The whole time. We had a coded conversation after you and I spoke. He also asked me to look for Gibbs. Before, he'd asked me to be on alert. After you and I talked, he gave me the assignment."

"To find Gibbs."

"Not in so many words, but yes."

"Does he know?"

"Not yet. Both of us would rather be home before he's told. Shada Shakarji doesn't want anyone to mention her name, her daughter's name, her family or the fact that he was found in Afghanistan. I'm sure Mossad would prefer anonymity as well."

They all looked at Malachi, who nodded. "They're no longer comfortable discussing or even mentioning Eli David or any of his family. The most they will tolerate is helping an old friend by bringing him to his family. Since neither you nor DiNozzo live in the U.S., that made it easier."

"Did you fly here from Afghanistan?"

"No, we took Gibbs to Jordan and flew from there, with one other stop."

Ducky stirred, "What was his condition when you found him?"

"He was skin and bones, his hair was gone, his clothes were shredded, filthy, bloody rags. His chains were long enough so he could move to relieve himself but he had no means of cleaning up so he had infected sores and rashes. His eyes were infected, the doctors said from all the dust. He was also dehydrated. His kidneys were in bad shape, he had pneumonia and trouble breathing. His feet and legs had been broken, he told us later he'd set them himself. Shada's healer set them properly; he has only begun walking again this past month. His face was cut during the attack on the house and that was infected at some point. Sahar reported one of her group is a former medical student and he sneaked some medication to Gibbs to stop the infection. He'd taken a bullet in his upper right arm but it was a through and through that healed all right."

Tim was crying. "How long has it been since you rescued him?"

"14 weeks now, the middle of May. The doctors wouldn't let us move him again until about 3 weeks ago. By that time, his broken bones had healed, as I said, he can walk a little, his kidneys are working at 100%, all the rashes, sores and infections are gone and his lungs are much better. We got him into Jordan, got papers for him, flew to Pretoria, South Africa, where we stayed for a few days until we had the papers we needed to move him again. Then from Pretoria to here. Tim, Dr. Mallard, Colonel Fielding, I know he probably looks like death warmed over to you, but to us he looks 90% better than he did 14 weeks ago."

Tim frowned, "Are the papers for Australia legitimate?"

"They are official, yes. By the time we reached South Africa, Mossad agreed to help get him home and gave him a passport to come here."

Tim's eyebrows rose, "He's traveling on an Israeli passport?"

"Yes. They've granted him citizenship. It's on a temporary basis, similar to asylum but the passport doesn't say that." Malachi smiled, "Don't worry too much, Mossad is very good at this. Once we leave, take him to the American Embassy and have them call our consulate. They'll figure things out between them, it won't be the first time. Of course he'll also need a visa to live here with you."

Tim shook his head, rolling his eyes, while Ducky chuckled.

Tim excused himself for a few minutes. While he was gone, Chad read the medical document that was printed in Dari, finding the translation to English well executed. With an eye roll of his own, Malachi handed the doctor a piece of paper with the Afghani doctor's name and contact information, saying, "His spoken English isn't quite as good as his written English but you two will understand each other. He also speaks French and Russian."

Ducky smiled, "Ah, then we'll do fine. Thank you."

Seeing the men's yawns were increasing, Ducky asked Charlie to take Dunham and Ben-Gidon upstairs to the room they were sharing.


	5. Chapter 5

Notes before reading: Some of the background of this story came from my story "The Common Thread" (aka TCT). I stopped writing that story while I wrote this story, "Notes". As I was planning this story, I viewed it as a sort of AU for "TCT" and copied some elements into the new story from TCT. For instance, the news about Delilah breaking up with Tim is in Chapter 9 of TCT and the part concerning Carly is in Chapter 10. In my head, which admittedly was a bit muddled at the time (I wrote this while working as caregiver to my dying sister), I thought readers of "Notes..." would have already read "The Common Thread". In the end, the story, while using those elements, turned out very differently from TCT. Phew! Okay, enjoy, please!

* * *

Notes in the Key of Life

Chapter 5

Malachi and Dunham stayed for two days before departing for their homes and jobs in the Middle East. Tim promised to wait for their texts telling him they were home before contacting Director Vance with the news about Gibbs.

The man in question slept most of those first days. He woke long enough to eat, take his meds, visit with Lizbet, Jace, Tim and the rest of the family and then would nod off again. By Saturday evening, Ducky decided he needed to get up and walk around.

Gibbs was finally beginning to believe this wasn't a dream. Every time he woke, Tim, Ducky or Lu was there. He could hear his grandchildren playing next door in Ducky's room as well as the sounds of the family around the house. He held onto Tim with both hands, grateful beyond all measure that he and the children were safe and unharmed.

After discussing the situation, Ducky, Tim and Lu, with input from Charlie, decided not to contact Tony until after the Director was told. Tim thought Tony's cell number and email address would have been changed, or discontinued and they might have to track down Senior to get the news to Tony. Tim hated that idea but if that's what they had to do, he was resigned to doing it. Then he remembered their burn phones. After Tony's near catastrophic experience with Le Grenouille, he'd decided to replace his second cell phone, a burn phone, with another burner and Tim did the same thing. Eventually, Gibbs decided it was a good idea. That happened during Ziva's months in Somalia and somehow they'd never told her about it. Tim still had his burn phone, as ancient as it was now, and more importantly, the number assigned to it. He hoped DiNozzo still had his, too.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

Saturday morning, Tim met his agents in the office and, using the SCIF, told them that Gibbs' presence in Australia had to be kept quiet, for now. He explained that the rescuers needed anonymity, Vance wouldn't even be told until after said rescuers were home. Both agents agreed, a little excited about being in the know.

With the time difference, Perth was 6 hours ahead of Tel Aviv, Israel, and 5 hours ahead of Jaffair, Bahrain, the Middle East Field Office where Agent Dunham was posted. They were returning the way they'd come, flying from Perth to South Africa and then splitting to separate flights home. Altogether, each man would be in the air between 18-20 hours. Tim didn't expect to hear from either one until Tuesday morning.

By then, Gibbs was sleeping only a few hours during the day. At night he slept between 7 and 8 hours, which Ducky said was his normal regimen. That surprised Tim as he'd always thought his boss stayed up working in the basement until the wee hours. Ducky smiled at him, "That was his habit, yes. However, when the two of you came home from Paraguay, he found he no longer had trouble sleeping. He credits you with that, you know. He said that in Paraguay, you would tell a story or get him talking about something so he could relax a little."

Tim blinked back tears , finally saying. "Talking was the only way I could help him. They hurt him so much, I didn't want to make it worse by touching him."

"He said that too, said it worked. And that you were just as badly treated, and found that his voice could help you to relax."

Tim huffed, "Yes. He'd tell me stories about his buddies in the Corps and about Mike Franks; he'd even talk about Kelly." He sighed, "I never thought I'd see him in worse shape than he was in Paraguay."

"He'll be all right, Timothy. It will take time, he has demons to fight and he has a long physical and emotional recovery ahead of him, but he knows he's home, he knows he's loved, that his loved ones are safe and he's not alone. He's known for some time now."

"We need to get Tony and Tali here."

"That's a wonderful idea. Anthony will need Gibbs and the rest of us when he learns of Ziva's actions and her death. Do you know who…?"

"Malachi. He told me that, as strange as this sounds, that it had to be him, who knew her so well and had been through so much with her, working together and having had so many of the same experiences as she had. That he understood why she'd snapped, after everything she'd been through in her life. He said in a way, he felt that he was helping her, sort of like an assisted suicide. He didn't want Dunham, a relative stranger, to take that on and have to live with it."

Ducky closed his eyes and he and Tim held onto each other, mourning their former colleague and the price she'd paid, and forced Gibbs to pay, for the damage done to her throughout her life.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

By the time Tim reached the office Tuesday morning, both of Gibbs' rescuers had reached home. He'd come in early, hoping to catch Vance at the office. It was 0700 here, which meant 1800 Monday evening in DC. He sent the director a text, asking if he was at the office.

The reply came quickly, yes, he was still in the office. Tim took his phone and laptop into Observation, the only private room, and pinged Vance.

When Vance accepted the call, he looked worried, "McGee, is everything all right?"

"Yes sir, I have wonderful news. Gibbs is alive and he's here, in Australia, at my home. He arrived Friday evening, accompanied by some of his rescuers, who must remain anonymous. He was rescued in May but was in such poor shape he wasn't able to travel until the last few weeks. Although he looks like hell, we were told he's 90% better than he was then."

Tim took a breath, "I was notified Friday afternoon by someone who also needs to remain anonymous, that a special package would arrive at the Perth airport at 1700. Because that was all the information given, I asked my agents to accompany me, we wore vests and had our sidearms. I also notified Airport Security. We got there and waited in Baggage Claims and then there he was, rolling out of the elevator in a wheelchair."

"Can you tell me where he was?"

"Some of it, yes. He was being held deep inside a cave system in a mountainous area. I don't know how his rescuers determined he was there. Sir, it was Ziva holding him prisoner. She teamed up with a woman named Sahar, who is or was somehow connected to Ari Haswari. Sahar and her group shot up Gibbs' home, thus sending him fleeing with Ziva. Somehow they got in and out of the country, we'll need to investigate that. The woman and her group later parted with Ziva after Sahar realized she was insane. I believe they parted before Ziva and Gibbs ended up in the cave. There's more to Sahar's story but it's not germane to Gibbs' rescue. I'll include it in a separate report. When Gibbs was found, Ziva was present and," Tim had to stop to swallow, "resisted arrest. She was killed, point blank. A reliable witness reported it was a head shot and she is definitely dead."

"The witness reported to you?"

"Yes, sir, the witness was one of the people accompanying Gibbs to Australia."

"How many were there?"

"Two."

"Did they stay?"

"They returned to their homes."

"McGee."

"That's all I can say, Director."

"Did…is it over? Was there anyone else involved with Ziva, besides Sahar and her group?"

"Not in the cave, sir, and Gibbs himself said there wasn't anyone else in the cave. I don't know how soon he was taken to the cave after the split with Sahar. In the cave, there were bolts drilled into the rock and Gibbs's feet, legs, arms and neck were shackled to those bolts. The chains were long enough so he had some movement but he didn't have any way of getting away from her. She tortured him then let him heal and fed him before starting the cycle again."

Vance swore and Tim closed his eyes, fighting tears again. They'd been in chains, off and on, in Paraguay but not so completely and they hadn't been separated all the time, to think they were alone. Their captors tortured them, mostly Gibbs, hoping to break Tim, but rarely gave them much food. There was no healing between torture sessions. Clearing his throat, Tim continued, "Gibbs said whenever Ziva had to leave the cave, she blindfolded and gagged him."

It was Vance's turn to close his eyes, finally saying, "Why Gibbs?"

"She blamed Gibbs for everything, all the way back to the bomb that killed her sister, the deaths of her brother, mother, even her father and your wife. She told Sahar that Gibbs killed Haswari. That may be how the whole thing started. Gibbs says she was determined to find Tony and take Tali away from him, to start her training."

"And killing DiNozzo in the process or did she consider him safe?"

"No, sir, your first thought is correct. Gibbs told his rescuers that Ziva would sometime confuse him with other people, including her father, Haswari, Sergei Mishnev. However, whenever she confused him with Tony, she'd beat him senseless. And, sir," Tim sighed, "she told Gibbs that he abandoned her after the farmhouse bomb, that he never searched for her. She said she waited as long as she could but he never came."

"My God, Tim."

"When Gibbs first arrived here, he knew me, the kids and Lu but he told us he was afraid we were a dream and didn't want to wake up. The first few nights, I sat with him while he slept, I wanted to make sure he saw me if he woke and thought the dream was over. He's past that now, knows he's not dreaming. He cried when he heard about Delilah and held onto me. I don't know how this is possible but he's mostly himself, only badly hurt. Ducky says that right now he's kind of floating between a kind of euphoria that he's free, safe and home, home with his family and what he knows happened with Ziva and will have to deal with to recover. Ducky believes he'll be all right, that he's known for a few years now that he's not alone, that he's loved. We haven't talked very much about what happened."

"Tim…I need to see him, I mean I personally need to see him."

"Unless we land a case, I can ping you from home tomorrow morning. Probably not until 1900 your time as he hasn't been waking up before 0730. If we do it today, say at 1900 here, it'll be 0700 your Tuesday morning."

"Let's go for 1900 DC time Tuesday evening. I'll be on the Hill tomorrow, means leaving at 0700 and I won't be back in the office until 1700. That gives us a little leeway if I'm running late."

"All right, you're on for 1900 in DC Tuesday evening, we're on for 0800 in Perth Wednesday morning."

"Good. As long as you're on the line, how are you doing out there?"

Tim chuckled, "I'd thought about seeing Australia, I hadn't considered traveling to the surrounding countries quite as much as we do. It's certainly been enlightening. Never thought I'd get to Borneo, Sri Lanka, Indonesia or Thailand! Places I've heard of, know where they are on the map and they all sound so exotic."

"And now?"

"Different cultures, which is interesting, but people are people, human beings, like everyone everywhere." Tim laughed, "And traffic is universal! Might be tuk-tuks, rickshaws, scooters along with four wheeled vehicles rather than SUVs, sedans and pickup trucks, but a gridlock is still a gridlock, not matter what language you say it in."

"Do you think you'll want to stay when your 3 years are up in 2 years and 5 months?"

Tim blinked in surprise. "Sir? Well, we love Merriwa and our home, the winters are mild, not enough rain, the summers are too hot but it's not humid. I'm not thrilled with the venomous snake population here as well as other dangerous oddities. As far as the work, as we've said, because 98% of our cases are outside of Perth, it frequently takes us longer to get to and from a crime scene than it does to solve the crime. The other disadvantage to that is because our cases seem to mostly be outside of Australia and because it takes so long to get anywhere, either in country or elsewhere, teams are effectively on call all the time. That means no real downtime, no time when you can guarantee time off.

"That must mean an awful lot of burnout in the offices down here. We know we have to be available, globally, for disasters or global crimes but those are still the exception to the norm." Tim held up both hands showing his fingers were crossed. "Anyway, that's my take and unfortunately I don't have a clue how to do things differently without costing a lot of money. As for transferring, in 2 years and 5 months, the twins will be ready for school and I'd like to have them start where they can continue for a few years. I predict we'll be ready for new adventures."

"Good! What if something comes up before then?"

"Director?"

Vance sighed. "My plans for you never included Australia, Tim. But Yates needed a strong leader there, someone to turn things around and I needed to protect you and your family from Ziva and as isolated as Perth is, that seemed like a good solution. However, I need you here and, well, in several places."

"In the U.S.?"

"In the U.S. and in Europe. You'd still have some travel there, but the countries are closer together. And there are trains, ferries and roads between countries, not ocean. Well, there are seas but there are roads and trains around them."

"Sir, how soon?"

"At least not until January, it'll be a year and I can move you again without bending any rules. Do you have any preferences?"

"Do you mean in the U.S. or Europe?"

"Either, both! How about you make a wish list and email it to my personal email."

"Sure. Uh, Ducky says Gibbs should stay here for another few months. We were thinking after Christmas. But then I don't know if he's going back to work or what. Haven't got that far yet."

"Thanks, saves me a call to Dr. Mallard. After the first of the year is fine and whatever Gibbs wants to do is fine. Tim, I'm so thankful he's alive! I'm going to put out a notice to everyone aboard the Navy Yard that he's alive and safe. I won't say where he is although your agents must know."

"Yes sir, and I have my weekly call with my SSAIC later this morning, so I will be updating her."

"Eh, if anyone asks where he is, I'll tell them it's classified for now."

"Palmer will know, Ducky has a call lined up for…just about now."

"All right, I'll ask Palmer to keep it quiet. Although Ms. Hines and Agents Torres, Carter and O'Brien…"

Tim chuckled, "Sir, I don't mind if they know he's here with us, as long as we aren't inundated with calls! And I'd think the cost would take care of that."

"Have you contacted DiNozzo yet?"

"No, I thought I'd have to track down his father but I thought of another way to contact him."

Vance was quiet and then he said, "I'm not supposed to know this but he's under the protection of his dad's buddy, Prince Al."

Tim made a noise, "That's what I hoped. Tony sent me a text last year that was full of codes we've made up and used over the years. Took me some time to decipher but that's pretty much what I came up with."

"You have my permission to access that case file if you need contact information."

"Thank you, sir. If my plan doesn't work, I'll do that."

"And Tim, this hasn't been an official NCIS case but you know several of us have been working on it. Go ahead and contact DiNozzo during your work hours."

"Thank you again, Director!"

Finally disconnecting, Tim sat back, relieved. He'd charged his old burn phone last night and brought it with him this morning. When he heard the door to the office open, he stuck his head out. "Good Morning! I've spoken with the director, the gag is off, thank you! And I brought donuts."

Hannah appeared in the hallway, holding half a donut in her hand. "Thanks! How's everyone at the Navy Yard?"

"They'll be better as soon as they see the director's email that Gibbs is alive and safe."

"Is he going to say where?"

"He may or may not. There are a couple of people who already know, family members. It's all right, it's not like we'll have dozens of calls from DC! I have one more call to make and then I'll join you all. Save me a donut, please?"

"I will, but I can't speak for Ty and Glynee." Glynee was their dispatch/office manager.

Tim shrugged, he'd already had one anyway. He turned back into their Observation room, closed the door behind him and pulled out his old burn phone to call Tony.

As the phone rang and rang and rang, Tim realized he had no idea where his friend was actually located, he could be under protection almost anywhere.

He smiled when a worried voice answered. "Tim? Are you all right? Is there news?"

"Yes and Tony, it's so great to hear your voice. He's alive, safe and here in Australia, at my place."

There was silence and Tim, hearing Tony taking deep breaths, thought he was crying. "I cried when I first saw him, Tony. I 've been sitting up with him at night and I cry every time he moves a muscle."

"It's great to hear your voice, too, Tim. I've missed you, always wondering how you were, how you were handling things after losing Wheels. How is Boss?"

"Battered. He's been through hell, again. And your instincts were right to find protection, it was Ziva. She held him prisoner in a cave, chained him to the rock wall and tortured him. "

"Oh God. Who rescued him?"

"People who wish to remain anonymous. They pulled him out in May, it's taken him this long to recover enough to be able to travel. Tony…"

"Ziva?" His friend's voice was flat, anticipating what Tim would say next.

"Resisted arrest. She'd dead."

"Are they sure? I mean, second – or third – time, counting Somalia. Sorry, that sounds so cold."

"It's what I said, too. Yes, very sure. I trust the witness who told me."

"You said my instincts were right. I had a text from Gibbs, it said, '44, RUN!' She was coming after us, too?"

"Gibbs said she planned to take Tali away from you, to start her training."

Tony muttered several expletives before saying, "She would have killed me."

"Yes, after she got tired of torturing Boss and killed him."

There was silence as Tony digested that. Then he asked, "Are we safe now?"

"The people who brought Gibbs here believe we are. The terrorist Ziva was working with split when she realized how crazy Ziva was."

"Is there an International Airport near you and do you have room for us?"

Tim grinned, this is what he'd been hoping for. "Yes, Perth and of course we have room for you. Send Ducky and me a text with your flight number and when you'll arrive and one of us will pick you up. You know, if we get a case…"

"You'll be somewhere in Australia?"

"Or Indonesia, Malaysia, East Timor, New Zealand, Cambodia, Borneo or a few other countries."

"Wow, sounds interesting."

"Glad you think so because I have a lot to tell you."

"So, how are you doing?"

"I was too excited about telling you the good news. I'm all right. I've been busy with moving, my children, new job and team, new geography and trying to find Gibbs. Dee's father has been here since May, he lives in Arizona, so he'll be leaving in a month or so, unless he decides to stay longer. Ducky got here in June and he's staying through Thanksgiving. Having both of them here along with Grama Lu has really helped. Tony, it's going to be a super long flight, unless you're already in Southeast Asia. We took a flight with one stop and then spent four days on the beach at that stop before continuing."

"Oh, good idea. Maybe not 4 days but at least a couple of days for a break. All right, I'll text or email you and Ducky with our flight info. Uh, what's the weather there?"

"First day of Spring is in September. I don't know how quickly it gets hot but when we arrived in January it was in the high 90s, went up into the 100s through March. Hey, can you stay for Christmas?"

"Yeah, that'd be fun! We'll be there for your birthday, the twins' 3rd, wow, Thanksgiving and Christmas, how's that?"

"Perfect!"

"Too long to stay with you, though. We'll find a rental nearby."

"Let's talk about that when you get here."

"Will do!"

Exchanging current email and 'real' cell phone numbers, they disconnected. Tim felt like he'd reclaimed part of his life. He couldn't bring Dee back to life but Gibbs had been returned and now Tony would be here.

He made a face, he'd forgotten to ask if Tony had Abby's contact information. He knew she'd taken a leave of absence from the charitable foundation she'd started in memory of their slain teammate Clayton Reeves. Last he'd heard, Abby and her brother Kyle had a lead on their birth mother and were going to try to meet her, he thought somewhere in Europe or Africa.

That made him think of Ziva. He'd asked Malachi if she'd been buried in Afghanistan or shipped home to Israel and the other man said, "Mossad paid to ship her home, considering the sacrifices the Davids made for Israel. She is buried in the family cemetery, with her father, mother, sister, brother and her aunt."

"Aunt Nettie?"

Malachi nodded, "You knew her?"

"No, I never had a chance to meet her. We heard a lot about her over the years and we could always tell by the sound of Ziva's voice when she was talking with her. Do you know when she died?"

Malachi winced, "Tim, she was visiting the farmhouse when the bomb went off. Ziva and her daughter must have left already. The belief is that she wasn't expecting her aunt's visit."

Tim wondered if that was the final straw for Ziva's sanity. He also realized Ziva had truly been the last of the Davids.

Resolutely, he left Observation and returned to his desk, where he found a paper plate with two of his favorite donuts, covered by a paper towel. He barked out a surprised laugh when Ty turned around to say something to him, the younger man had smears of chocolate icing on either side of his mouth. Mercer looked at him and Tim said quietly, "Ty, please go wash your face."

As the younger man disappeared into the restroom, Tim raised an eyebrow at Glynee and Hannah. "You weren't going to tell him?"

Glynee snorted, "He's an adult. He would have noticed if he'd washed his hands."

"For future reference, please let me know if you see I have something on my face, teeth, shirt or elsewhere and am oblivious. Hopefully I'll figure it out, but if not, please tell me! We represent the U.S. here and need to be ready to meet the public at any time, even here in the office. In fact…" Tim reached into his desk drawer, took out several packets of moist wipes and put some on each of their desks.

Message received, the women apologized to Ty for not saying anything when he emerged from the restroom. He nodded, "Thanks but it was my own fault, I should have at least washed my hands."

Finally sitting at his desk, Tim got busy with reports. After a light afternoon lunch, they were too full of donuts for a 'real' lunch, they worked on a cold case together, which sometimes raised new questions or possible new lines of inquiry. By the end of the day, they'd sent new information to the office of record, hoping it might give them a lead on a 8 year old homicide.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

When he got home that evening, Tim was happy to see Gibbs sitting in the family room, watching a Disney movie with the twins. He kissed the three of them. "Poppy, I'm glad to see you up and around! Lizbet, Jace, how was school today?"

"Fun, Daddy. We went for a walk and picked fwowers. Daddy, how come we can't say that right?"

"How do you want to say it?"

"Ms. Joan says its fullowers."

"Wow, that's great, Jace. Lizbet, what do you say?"

"Fwo…Flllowers."

"Ok, you're both very close. How about you come sit with me and we'll work on it."

"Okay!" The pair moved onto his lap and he said, "I'm going to say that word and I want you to watch how my mouth, tongue and lips move."

They giggled, that sounded funny, but they watched as Tim slightly exaggerated his movements. "F – l – ow -er."

He showed them how the 'L' was sounded and they practiced. Then, instead of using the word flower, he had them try their grandmother's name, showing them what his mouth, lips and tongue looked like as he said, "Lu".

Lizbet had it but Jace's 'L' still sounded like a mashup of a 'W' with an 'L'. They worked on it until it was time for dinner, with Poppy and Grandpa Charlie helping to show them how to form the letter.

Tim sat and watched the two men, thinking he'd somehow gained 2 dads with them. Two dads, one mom and Ducky was his granddad. He liked that feeling and sent more prayers of thanks for the return of Gibbs as well as the additions of Lu and Charlie to his family.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

The weekend was quiet with no call-outs for Tim's team, much to his relief. He received an email from Tony who said it would take longer than he thought to arrange his and Tali's trip to Australia. There was a seemingly blank spot at the end of line of text before another paragraph started below. Amused with his friend's low tech methods, Tim highlighted the blank spot, changing the font color. He smiled again at seeing more text. The hidden message said that Prince Al's security force was doing its own verification that the DiNozzos were safe from the mad woman and that said mad woman was really dead.

By the end of Gibbs' second week with them, he was visibly improving. Ducky said that made sense as he knew that he was safe and loved. It also helped that he had plenty of healing rest, good company, a little more fresh air and exercise every day along with good, healthy food and drink.

Over the months since Tim assumed the leadership of the Perth NCIS team, he'd gradually come to appreciate the slow days, the ones where none of them could stand to look at another cold case and their reports were up to date. They worked with the Perth PD, fostering a strong sense of international cooperation, found online training courses that could be paused when they had cases and resumed when they were free again, and several other useful activities. Tim worked on creating apps that would be useful for the field, applications he'd never had time for before. Nor had he the types of experiences he'd had here, a foreigner trying to bring justice and/or American law into countries in which he did not live and wasn't well schooled in their cultures or equally as worrisome, their politics.

Tim was horrified at how little he knew about Asia, and Southeast Asia in particular. That was something he took on with his team, learning more about the cultures, the governments, their relationships or lack of same with their neighbors and with the United States. During their slow time, they would each take a Southeast Asian country and learn as much as they could online. Mostly through word of mouth, Tim learned who amongst his peers knew about which countries and carefully picked their brains, making sure to ask first if whoever it was had time to spare.

They were carefully compiling the information about each country, with the intent of sharing with their boss, SSAIC Cassie Yates. Tim wondered why no one had done this before but thought perhaps there had been more cases in the past. One day he asked his team how they'd handled their work before, as foreign law enforcement. Hannah made a face, "Mitchell just barged in and did it, forced our findings down their throats. I think SSAIC Yates had to do a lot of smoothing over."

"Could be why someone warned me about politics."

Both Clark and Mercer nodded and Ty added, "Hannah and I talked about studying up about the cultures and what we're doing now, but he, Mitchell, laughed at us. Said they, the locals, would do whatever he told them to do."

Hannah winced at the look on Tim's face. "That's why it was such a big deal when the money laundering case in Jakarta and Malaysia went so well. That's not what anyone was expecting."

"How long was he here?"

"In Asia, about a decade, off and on. He worked in a sub office of FEFO for 6 years as a junior agent. Then he returned to the States when he was promoted to SFA. He was there for three years. When the SAIC in Perth decided to retire, Mitchell took the position. The retiring guy stayed for a couple of weeks and apparently that's when Mitchell learned that as an American he's always right. Or maybe he brought the attitude back from the States."

"So he was SAIC here for two years?"

"Yes, I was transferred into the JFA spot during his first year as their junior quit when Mitchell wouldn't approve a transfer."

"He or she quit the agency?"

"Yes, but Agent Yates talked with the director and they made it right, reimbursed her for everything, persuaded her to stay with the agency. I've heard she's doing well."

"And Mitchell?"

Ty and Hannah both smirked, "He was eventually pulled out of here, sent to the U.S. and went to work for another agency, we don't know which one."

Tim shook his head. "I'm glad I didn't know that coming in!"

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

At day care, the twins were learning the alphabet and Tim taught them the "Alphabet Song", remembering to teach them "Zed" instead of "Z" which was used in the U.S. The adults sang it along with the littles and were all proud of each other.

Tim's team landed a new case three and a half weeks later, not that he was counting, this time they flew to Coffs Harbor, Australia, in New South Wales and up the coast from Sydney.

Getting the call-out late Monday afternoon, there wasn't the usual rush as their best flight would leave Perth close to midnight for their 4 hour flight to Sydney. They'd also gain 2 hours as New South Wales was in a different time zone than Perth and Western Australia. After a hour's layover in Sydney they'd fly to Coffs Harbour, arriving shortly before 1000 local time Tuesday morning.

That gave the team time to do a little research on the Marine found there. He was alive, although badly injured, and remained unconscious in an area hospital. His name was Master Gunnery Sergeant Roger Marks, on leave from his unit in Japan. Tim contacted the local PD, asking them to preserve the crime scene, telling them when they'd arrive. Inquiring about their Marine, Tim was happy, although not surprised, to be told that the man's room was under guard 24/7. As with Hobart and other places, the Chief offered to meet them at the airport, take them to the crime scene and the hospital.

When Tim spoke with the victim's CO, the man said that Marks' family lived in Australia when he was growing up, his father, a Marine Gunnery Sergeant, was stationed at Darwin. The family had vacationed in Coffs Harbour a number of times and Marks had promised himself a return visit there for years. When he'd been posted to Japan, he realized this was his chance. The CO couldn't shed any light on who might have wanted to injure or kill the man. He said he was tough but fair with his troops and not likely to pick a fight. He was not married.

Before they left the office, the CO called back, saying he'd talked with Marks' buddies and they'd reported that he hoped to find a girl he'd met in Coffs Harbour when he was a teenager. She'd lived there and the buddies said he thought he'd found her on Google but didn't want to contact her before he got there.

After the call, Tim Googled the name, finding someone by that name in a town close to Coffs Harbour. When he looked a little deeper, he found she was divorced and the mother of three.

Tim went home to grab a few extra things for his go bag, warning his family he might be away for several days. Gibbs frowned while the others nodded, they knew the drill by now. He stayed for dinner, giving him a chance to tell Jace and Lizbet goodbye, where he was going and why. They had a map of Australia on the wall in the family room and they put a bright red pin in, marking Coffs Harbour.

When Gibbs raised an eyebrow at Tim's swimsuit, towel and sunscreen, he laughed. "Poppy, months ago we were called out to Tasmania, an island state of Australia, for a dead Petty officer." He told him about the case.

His former boss made a face, "So now you're going to another beach town."

"That's not surprising since most Australians live close to the coast. There are very few people in the outback. Remind me to tell you about our trip to Darwin when I get home."

He met the others at the airport as they'd also gone home for a few hours.

All three slept on the flight to Sydney, made their connection without any problems and by 1005 were shaking hands with the Detective of record at the airport in Coffs Harbour. After canvassing the crime scene, they took their evidence to the forensics lab the PD used and Hannah stayed with the lab tech, maintaining the chain and integrity of evidence, while Tim and Ty were driven to the hospital. There, another one of the detectives took Ty with him to interview the few witnesses they had while Tim saw the victim and spoke with his doctor about his injuries.

The doctor reported that Marks' head had been hit with a blunt object, causing a skull fracture. It wasn't life threatening. As it had been 12 hours since the attack, his condition was stable and he should wake within two to three hours.

He also had bruises on his torso and legs, to Tim it looked like the results of an MMA match. He thought the attacker, or attackers, would likely have the same kind of cuts and bruises. The detective made a note, passing that onto LEOs in neighboring towns.

From the placement of the bruises, they also surmised the height of the attacker to be between 5"11" and 6'. The doctor delivered an evidence bag with bits of skin, hair and part of a tooth that he said did not belong to Marks. That was good, physical evidence that could be tied to their perpetrator and Tim asked the detective how fast a DNA run would take. He said with a priority push, they could have it in 4 days, otherwise it would 8-10 days.

Since their victim was alive, Tim didn't feel the priority push was necessary, especially since the doctor expected him to regain consciousness in a few hours. When he was handed the bag with the clothes Marks was wearing at the time of the attack, Tim nodded to himself. The Master Sergeant had been wearing civvies, so the attackers may not have known he was military although if they spoke to him at all they'd know he was American, or at least not Australian.

When Tim's stomach rumbled rather noisily, the detective who'd driven him over laughed, taking him to a local café for lunch. Tim let his agents know they should also grab something to eat.

Finished with their repast, the two men drove back to the hospital where they found Marks beginning to regain consciousness, the doctor and medical staff in the room with him. Banished to the waiting room, the men waited impatiently. Finally one of the nurses appeared, telling them they could see the patient.

Their Master Gunnery Sergeant smiled weakly when introduced to the two men. "They called NCIS out for a mugging?"

Tim raised an eyebrow, "A mugging that left you with a fractured skull and unconscious, so yes."

"Thought your office was in Perth?"

"It is, we flew in. Now, Master Gunnery Sergeant…" Tim was interrupted by the patient. "Either Gunny or Marks."

"All right, Gunny. What happened?"

"Uh well, it's a long story. I was here with my family on vacation a few times starting when I was about 12, then 14 and 17. Met this girl who lived in Coffs Harbour, saw her every time we were here and I've never been able to get her out of my head. I came here to find her. I decided if she's married, I won't approach her or say anything. I just wanted to know and, you know, I hoped she wasn't married. Sounds mean now when I say it but seriously, I've never loved anyone else the way I loved her.

"When I got here, I lost my nerve and had a couple of drinks. I can describe the guy who mugged me, he was in the bar where I was, but I don't know his name or anything. He ambushed me, coming around a corner and tried to sweep my legs out from under me. I've had a lot of MMA training and experience, so I blocked him and the fight was on. Guess he won, though."

"Not for long. We found what he hit you with and he's got to have some impressive bruising, plus he lost part of a tooth."

"Yeah, oh, I got him in the head with my foot. Might have broken his nose."

He gave them a description and, using a phone app, Tim put together a composite sketch. Once Marks approved, the detective looked at it. "He looks familiar. Agent McGee, will you send it to my partner at the PD? He'll get the facial recognition program going. And we'll print it out, take it with us to the bar and that area."

McGee nodded and sent the composite sketch. Then he smiled at the Gunny, "Is there anyone we can call for you?"

Marks looked at him, "I don't suppose you could call Caroline?"

The two law enforcement officers looked at each other and then grinned at the Gunny. Tim replied, "We did that already, as part of our investigation. Your CO gave me her name and I Googled her, just as you did, and found her contact information. Once we got here, we called her, as we didn't know if you'd seen her and if something had happened between you."

The detective grinned, "When we were told we could see you, we sent her a text that you're awake. She'll be in to see you this afternoon."

"Oh wow, and I'm in the hospital, geez! Uh…?"

"Nope, the rest of the information is private, you'll have to find out for yourself."

The detective added, "We have your personal belongings from your hotel room. The front desk reported that you turned your key into them when you went out, that was smart. So the mugger only got what was on you."

"My dog tags and about $40 after I paid my bar bill. I'm old enough to know not to take everything with me. Left my valuables in the hotel safe."

"Right, we also have those at the PD, locked up, of course."

Tim smiled, "Just so you know, you have a guard on your room that will remain until we arrest your attacker. We warned Ms. Truitt so it wouldn't be a surprise."

"Thanks for everything. I've always heard good things about Aussie police and NCIS agents, now I know they're true." He looked at Tim, "How long are you stuck here with me?"

Tim smiled, "We're not 'stuck', Gunny, we're doing our job, the one we signed up to do of our own free will. Believe me when I say it's a pleasure to be able to speak with you, to know that you'll recover and return to your post. We'll stay until we're satisfied that our investigation is complete, your attacker is arrested and booked. Then we'll head home."

"What's the longest case you've ever worked?"

Thinking of Gibbs's disappearance and the link, whatever it was, back to Ari Haswari, Tim said, "Sixteen years, including this one. Although the original bad guy died back in 2005, confederates of his have been active over the years, including recently."

"Sounds nasty."

Tim nodded, wishing he hadn't brought it up. The detective's phone beeped and he nudged McGee, "We need to get back to the office."

Saying goodbye to Marks, the two men drove to the Police Department. Facial recognition had quickly identified the Gunny's attacker and one of the area hospitals showed him as registered in their Emergency Department. A quick phone call verified that and the detective and the NCIS team headed for the hospital, sirens and lights engaged. Hannah grinned, "This is cool, we don't get to do this."

Tim nodded, "I have. Once we were working with the FBI on a case and I was riding with them when something went down. The agent pulled out a light and slapped it on the roof, activated the siren. If it had been a less volatile case, I would have enjoyed it more."

At the eyebrows questioning him, he added, "Serial killer and he had one of our agents."

Thinking about it, Tim continued, "We do have lights and sirens in the U.S., on the MCRT van and the ME's van."

The detective looked puzzled, "What's MCRT?"

"Major Case Response Team. Worked on it for several years at headquarters."

That told the detective this NCIS agent must be one of the best and it certainly tied into his own experience with him. While this wasn't a difficult or particularly nasty case, he'd noticed the dedication to the victim and attention to detail.

At the Emergency Department, the detective and Agent McGee were shown to the exam room where the attacker was waiting to be treated. The two other NCIS agents stood guard at the exits, joined by hospital security.

When the NCIS agent and detective walked into the exam room and badges were shown, the man leapt up to leave but Tim blocked him. When shown his badge and ID, the attacker snarled, "Who the hell was that guy?"

"He's alive, no thanks to you. He's a Master Gunnery Sergeant with the United States Marine Corps., here on vacation. You tried to kill a hero."

The man shut his mouth. McGee and the detective waited until his injuries were treated and then, calling in a squad car, had him taken to the Police Department for booking. By that time, he'd confessed, beyond his angry question when they met him in the hospital.

When the others returned to the PD, they found that several cold cases were on the verge of being closed, as the attacker matched the description, blood and DNA found at various crime scenes. The difference was that he'd never before been injured badly enough to seek medical help.

Before they left for home, the NCIS team was happy to hear that Marks and his Caroline had happily reunited and were already planning their wedding. That sent eyebrows soaring until they were told that the couple were already parents, they'd conceived a daughter the last time they'd met, when both were 17.

Satisfied with the investigation and the happy ending, the team boarded their flight to Sydney and subsequent flight from Sydney to Perth. All in all, they'd been away for three days by the time they reached home. That was a record, the shortest time away on a case.

Although they had reports to write, they did the most urgent ones on their way home and Tim notified Singapore that the Perth NCIS team was taking Friday off.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

The next couple of weeks were quiet. The Marine base at Darwin had a missing Marine but found the corporal, now busted to a private, before the team left for the airport.

Gibbs continued to heal and Ducky reflected that he seemed more relaxed than expected after his long ordeal. He'd agreed to professional counseling and Lu, Ducky and Charlie alternated driving him to and from. Like his fellow grandparents, Gibbs was happiest when in the company of his grandbabies and their father.

Since Tim's marriage, the months in Paraguay with Tim, and the birth of the twins, Jethro Gibbs had finally started to let himself heal from his own horrific losses. And just as important, he let the people he loved, had loved for years, know how he felt, everyone who he felt was family, Tim, Delilah, the babies, Tony, Tali, Ducky, Jimmy, Breena and their children, Abby, Kasie, Tobias and those who were extended family, the Vances, Leyla and Amira and others. People he'd been friendly to but not friends with had noticed after Paraguay that he was more willing to accept friendship.

Although his captivity was full of painful and horrible experiences, both physical and emotion and still continued in his nightmares, Jethro tried to always keep in the forefront of his mind that he had been rescued, that nobody had given up on him after so many months. He knew who'd done the background work to find him, who rescued him, who defeated Ziva and brought him home as well as to whose home he was brought.

Delilah's death was an unexpected blow but recognizing that everyone in his new home shared her loss, he made sure to share with Charlie, Dee's dad, his memories of the strong, confident woman who'd loved his son and had joyously become a member of their chosen family.

As far as the rest of his family, he knew Tony and Tali would be here soon and Abby was looking for her birth mother somewhere overseas. Bishop contacted him to welcome him to freedom, letting him know she was taking some time off to 'process things'. Torres, Kasie and Jimmy had a few Skype calls with him, Vance and Tobias Skyped with him every week and he'd had cards from Leyla and Amira, with new photos, Rick Carter and his wife Denise, Jim O'Brien and his wife Annie, Ned Dorneget, with a photo of him with his new husband Daniel and Daniel's kids, emails or cards nearly every week from sweet Natalie of the squad room and an email from Henry, his friend the security guard.

He'd written a note expressing his gratitude to Shada Shakarji and her family, Tim carefully helping him translate it to Dari. They mailed it and a letter also thanking Leyla in one large envelope, addressed to Leyla and asking to forward her mother's note.

The twins continued to thrive. Tim and Charlie sorted through photos of Delilah throughout her life including all of Liz's photos, sent to Tim by Aunt Missy. They selected their favorites and made a collage of them, with Lu helping. Eventually Gibbs planned to craft a frame for the collage but he wasn't up to any woodworking yet. The collage was hung on the wall in the twins' bedroom, low enough so they could touch and look at the photos of their mommy. Charlie told them stories of their mother as a little girl, which the kids thought was funny while Tim told stories he'd heard and experienced of teen and grown-up Dee. They had a picture in their room of the homes their mother lived in, including her apartment in Dubai.

When they were older, maybe in their teens, Tim thought he'd tell them about all the secrets of the apartment they'd lived in when they were babies. If he told it as a Halloween tale and not necessarily as a true story, it should be okay. As long as none of the grandparents, aunts and uncles outed it as a true story!

Several days after their return from Coffs Harbour, Tim received a letter in the office NCIS mail, from an attorney's office in Baltimore. The outside envelope was from the Navy Yard and inside there was a note from Pam Cook, _"Hi Tim, we had a call from these people wanting your current address, their attempts to contact you by mail at your place in Virginia and San Diego were returned and since you're out of the country, your cell # doesn't work for them. As you know, we never give out any private information but Director Vance decided it would be all right to mail it to you through the agency mail. Hope all is well with you and that Gibbs is making progress in his recovery. We miss you! Pam"_

Smiling at her note, he put it aside to open the envelope. Quickly scanning the contents, he jumped up, nearly knocking over his desk chair and startling his teammates. Grabbing his phone, he hurried into Observation, needing privacy.

The third time he read the letter, the news finally started to sink in. Carly, his 'friend with benefits' for many years prior to his meeting Dee, had died three months before, naming him in her will as legal guardian of her minor children, Henry Timothy, aged 4 and Emma Margaret, aged 18 months. As the law firm had been unable to contact him, the children were now in foster care. They were mailing this to his last known place of employment in hopes of reaching him and asked him to call them, regardless of the day or time, reversing the charges. There was another sheet of paper, along with the formal one, signed by Carly. Tim put it aside, there was no way he could look at it now.

Taking a few minutes, Tim sat, trying to absorb the news of the death of his friend. While he and Carly had always been fond of each other and enjoyed their intimate relationship, they'd never had any kind of romantic love between them. They hadn't had that much in common, once they moved past his being a homeless orphan and she an emancipated minor, both 15 years old when they met, living solely on scholarships while they studied at Johns Hopkins University.

The last time he'd been with Carly, she'd said she wanted a child, asking him if he would be the father. He gently declined, telling her he would want to be involved with any child he fathered and he wanted to wait to be married to have children. He did offer to loan her the money for IVF treatments but she'd said she didn't need the money, thanking him for being honest.

Weeks after that conversation, he met Delilah and let Carly know. That was their deal. They were only intimate when neither were dating anyone. Although he'd emailed his friend when he and Dee married, they'd never spoken again.

When Delilah returned from Dubai and apologized for breaking up with him, they'd decided to go forward with their relationship. He'd told Delilah about his relationship with Carly then and she'd been accepting, trusting him not to contact her.

Swallowing hard, Tim realized he had no idea how to reverse charges on an international call and quickly Googled it. As it turned out, it was easier than he thought it would be and he was soon speaking with a paralegal at the law firm who'd contacted him.

"Mr. Timothy McGee, formerly of…" she read his former addresses.

"Yes and I now live overseas, my employer forwarded your letter to me. How are Henry and Emma?"

"They're doing all right, they're together and go to a daycare where they've made friends. Their foster parents have experience with grieving children. We have an employee here at the firm who's a grandmother and she's taken it upon herself to see them at least once a week, takes them out for a treat and plays with them. They miss their mother and always ask when 'Uncle Tim' will come."

"Other than being there, what do I need to do? How long would you anticipate me staying there before I can bring them home?"

"Where do you live?"

"Perth, Australia. I'm a federal agent with NCIS and assigned here. I have two kids of my own but we live in a big house, there's plenty of room and the twins go to a wonderful daycare. I'm a widower, my wife died a year ago and so when I moved here, the woman who raised me, she's not biologically my mother, moved with us. Since then, my father-in-law and my former boss, whom I consider my father, have moved in with us. So we have three grandparents and one parent."

"I'm sorry for the loss of your wife, I'm glad you have family for you and your children. How long will you be in Australia?"

"That's up to me. Originally our Director told me three years but now he's asked me to consider moving home, or at least closer to home after the first of the year."

"All right. Now I can answer your question. Although you're named Legal Guardian in the will, you'll still have to appear before a judge. Have you ever been a foster parent?"

"Yes, in fact, I'm still certified in the state of Virginia. When we moved last year, everything was done on an emergency basis due to my wife's condition and I never remembered to update my information with Social Services. If you need a reference, D'Arcy McKinna at CPS knows me fairly well. Also, full disclosure, my sister and I were orphaned when we were children, I was 9 and she was 3. I raised her and a boy a year younger than her. She's now in graduate school in the UK and published her first novel and Rob, the little boy I also raised, is in Medical School."

"Oh my, that's an impressive track record, congratulations! All right, back to your question, I'll request a court date as soon as possible. That way we might have a date for week after next. Possibly sooner but the courts are almost always backed up. I'll add a note about special circumstances. In the meantime, you need to meet and get to know the children. Will your children be with you?"

"Unless the whole family decides to come, probably not. I'm sometimes away from home for a few days, investigating criminal cases out of the area, so they're used to me being away. We stay in touch through daily Skype calls. I'd love to have Henry and Emma with us as soon as possible. Do they use Ross, Carly's last name?"

"Yes, they do."

"I should know this, but doesn't legal guardianship end when the kids turn 21?"

"Actually, it's 18 in the U.S."

"Oh. So it's not as encompassing as adoption."

"No, it's not."

"If I want to adopt them, I'd need to be in the U.S., right?"

"Yes, at the start."

"Ok, then we'll move home next year, get that started. I want them to feel and be as secure as possible, as much a part of our family as anyone else. I do not want them to think that our relationship or their being part of the family is suddenly going to come to an end when they're 18. You said at the start, is there more?"

"Yes. You can file now, while you're here. The children need to reside with the adoptive parent or parents for a full year before the adoption is approved. In the past, we've used qualified international social services to check on the children, inspect their homes, schools, friends. I doubt that would be a problem."

"Great, thank you. I've been out of touch with Carly for the past few years, is there anything about the children or their lives I should know about?"

"Both were conceived through IVF, using sperm from a sperm bank. We have the name of the sperm bank, the donor's account number and a general description. If there are health or other problems that might be helped by contacting the sperm donor, you, in place of Ms. Ross, may contact the sperm bank and they can legally help you."

"Good to know, thanks. Anything else?"

"Both children are developing well; they're smart and loving, comfortable with other children, playing alone or with others. Henry is protective of his baby sister, as you might expect but not aggressively so. He's in pre-kindergarten. He slipped a little when his mother died but he's making a decent recovery. Emma's verbal skills slipped when her mother died but she's also making a good recovery."

"The letter says Carly died of cancer. How long was she ill?"

"We have her written permission to share this with you. She was first diagnosed almost three years ago. She was treated with immunotherapy infusions and did so well that she decided to go ahead with her plans for a second child, although she engaged a gestational host for little Emma.

"Unfortunately, she had to switch to a stronger immunotherapy and that ravaged her body, even though the tumors were shrinking. She soon developed life threatening side effects from the immunotherapy and within weeks, her doctors said they had to stop the immunotherapy, it was killing her. There was nothing else they could do to stop the cancer; chemotherapy would be even harder on her body. She was in Hospice for a few months before she died."

There was silence as Tim tried to collect himself. Finally, he managed to thank the paralegal for the information and the woman moved on to other details he'd need to know. When Tim disconnected, he spent a few minutes pulling himself together, making notes of things he'd need to do.

First, he'd talk with his family, try to figure out a few things. Then he would meet the children. The paralegal he'd spoken with said she'd set up a Skype call with Henry, Emma and their foster parents. In the meantime, he needed to tell Yates and Vance, book a flight and find a place to stay for the weeks he'd be in Maryland. He wasn't worried about where to sleep, he was worried about the kids. He knew from his own kids losing their mother that their grief and confusion would go on for months and years. He'd been a month older than Emma was now when he lost his own mother. He didn't remember details about her but he did remember missing someone's presence. Despite his memory gaps from the hit and run, occasionally a memory of someone singing to him would pop into his head. Or he'd remember feeling scared until warm arms picked him up and cuddled him.

His kids. Would they accept a new sister and brother? They were friendly, loving children, he thought they would. He'd do some research online, maybe it would help if they met Henry and Emma on a Skype call before he left for Maryland. Then they could have additional calls with all four of the kids while he was there.

Before he left Observation, he sent a text to Lu that he needed to have an all-adult conference that evening. When she replied asking if everything was all right, he responded with, "Nothing immediate is wrong. No case, no health issues. Something has come up that's serious and sad but not bad."

Her reply was that they'd all be there, they could talk after the twins were in bed.

When he finally left Observation, Hannah handed him a cup of piping hot coffee. "We don't know what's happened, we don't need to know if it's not our business, but well, here's coffee and there are pastries, too."

He chuckled, thanking her and saw that the three of them, Hannah, Ty and Glynee relaxed a little. Clearing his throat, he said, "It's not agency related, it's personal but nobody is sick, hurt or missing. I'll tell you more in the next few days."

They nodded and he returned to his desk, pulling up the next report to review and sign.


	6. Chapter 6

Notes in the Key of Life

Chapter 6

While Tim would never admit it, the rest of the afternoon dragged. He made himself wait until 1700 to start shutting down for the night. Smiling, he told his staff good night, asking Glynee to lock up and for one of the first times since he'd been there, left the office before they did.

Tim stopped to pick up his children at the daycare. As usual, they swarmed him and he loved every minute of it.

It was Jace's turn for a piggyback ride into the house from the garage and Lizbet ran ahead, loudly proclaiming that they were home.

Tim entered, knowing his tie, collar and jacket were askew. He didn't mind, he loved being a father and hoped to treasure each day with his children, although he knew from experience there would be plenty of imperfect behavior along the way.

He smiled at his family, Charlie reaching for Jace while Gibbs helped his kid take his jacket off. Then he took Tim's face in his hands and patted it. Even though he could see his kid had washed his face, he also saw that he'd been crying. Wrapping his arms around him, he held on.

Tim took a deep breath, loving the comfort and wishing he could just tell them all now. Maybe he should, maybe the kids would understand without any special handling.

Lifting his head, he looked at his children. They were watching, looking a little worried. Holding out his arms, they climbed into them while Gibbs gave them more room.

"Lu, Charlie, Ducky, are you here? Let's just do this now, while the kids are awake."

They sat in the family room while he started talking, realizing Charlie and the kids didn't know anything about Carly. "This is about Carly. Charlie, Lizbet, Jace, Carly is an old friend of mine from before I met Dee, your mother. We were friends but we weren't in love."

Charlie nodded while the twins watched him. When he smiled, they smiled. "Carly and I met at Johns Hopkins University, that's a school I went to. We were both 15, on our own. We remained friends over the years but only saw each other occasionally. When I met Delilah, I let Carly know and we didn't see each other after that."

Charlie looked puzzled and then surprised. When he nodded, Tim continued. "I received a letter at work today, sent from the Navy Yard. It's from a legal firm in Maryland. Their letters to me at my previous addresses were returned so they sent it to where I work. The letter said that my friend Carly died and that she wanted me to raise her children. Her kids are 4 years old and 18 months, so Lizbet, Jace, one is a year older than you and the other one is more than a year younger than you. Their names are Henry, he's the 4 year old and Emma, she's the 18 month old."

Lu and Ducky were quiet, perhaps doing the math while Gibbs gave Tim another hug and Charlie sat silently. Tim smiled at his children, "What do you think of having a brother and sister?"

"Yes! Are they coming here to live with us?" Idly noticing that their 'Ls' were nearly perfect, Tim nodded, "Yes, they are. However, I don't want them to travel by themselves, remember how long that flight was?"

The pair nodded, they still talked about it although they talked more about the beach they'd stayed on.

"I will go to where they're staying and bring them home. Now, because Carly said that she wanted me to take care of her children, that's good, they know about me. However, a judge still has to see me and say that yes, you can take care of Henry and Emma. Because lots of people need to see the judge, I have to wait in line before I can see her or him. I'll have to be away for about 3 weeks. I'll be back for our birthdays and Thanksgiving but I don't know when exactly I'll be home."

"Okay, Daddy. Where are they going to sleep?"

"That's a good question. What do you think?"

"They could stay in the room with us."

"They could although we have more rooms."

"Oh yes. They could stay in the room across from us!"

"That's a good idea."

Lizbet frowned, "Henry is older, maybe he wants his own room?"

Tim nodded, "What do you think about letting them decide when they get here? You can show them the rooms and see what they want to do."

"Yay, thank you, Daddy! Are they going to Ms. Joan's with us?"

"Yes. Won't that be fun?"

"Yes! Is Emma still a baby?"

"No, she's what we call a toddler. She knows how to walk and run and I'll bet she talks a lot."

"Oh, goody, another girl to play with. Maybe we can have tea parties!"

Jace looked upset until he thought about it, "And I'll have another boy to play with. Daddy, are they sad about their mommy?"

"Yes, son, they are. Right now they're staying with people who are taking good care of them but they know that I'm coming to take them home, to make them part of our family, soon."

"When are you leaving?"

"I don't know yet. Tomorrow or the next day, we'll have a Skype call with Emma and Henry, just like we do with Aunt Sarah and the uncles."

"Daddy, is Tali still coming, with Uncle Tony?"

"Yes, sweetie."

Gibbs cleared his throat, "I had a note from Tony today, they'll be here in a little less than three weeks, about the same time you hope to come home, Tim."

"Great!"

"Daddy, will they have the same Grama, Poppy, Granducky and Granpa Charlie as we do?"

Looking at the grandparents, Tim saw acceptance and smiled at his children, "Yes, they will."

"Yay!" The kids slid off the laps they were occupying and ran around the room. Jace stopped in surprise, "My tummy's rumbly!"

He grinned as Grama picked him up, "That's because we haven't fed it dinner yet! Come on, everyone, time to eat!"

Charlie carried Lizbet and both were secured in their booster seats.

By their bedtime, the twins had calmed enough to sleep, smiling as Daddy told them a story about four kids and their cousin playing in the ocean.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

They had their Skype call with Carly's children the next day. Henry and Emma were solemn and shy at first, warming up when they realized this was their Uncle Tim and that he was coming to see them in a few days. They were also excited about meeting Jace, Lizbet and all the grandparents. The only grandparent person they'd ever known was a nice lady who brought them treats and played with them, so having more of them had to be a good thing!

Telling his boss that he needed to be away on personal business for at least three weeks required more explanation and he was candid with Cassie. "This came out of the blue, Cassie. I didn't know Carly was sick much less terminal. Heck, I didn't even know she had children! But I want to bring them home with me, make them part of our family, with plenty of grandparents, aunts and uncles to help care for them."

"Will you be adopting them?"

"Yes, absolutely. The paralegal told me we can file while I'm there. They've used international social services agencies for the children's evaluations, home inspections before and she didn't see a problem in doing it again. But first I have to go to court to be accepted and legally made their legal guardian. I forgot to close out my foster parent account last year and now that might help, too."

"Tim, I'm sorry about your friend, but I think this is wonderful! You know what my husband and I went through adopting our two. Take the time you need, actually this might solve another problem."

"What's that?"

"Dwayne Wilson wants to leave Manila as soon as possible but the spot he wants won't be open for another month. I'll have him step into your spot while you're away and he can bring his family with him. Then they can leave early or…we'll figure it out."

"He mentioned that in January when I got here. He brought them for the days they were there, said it helped. How soon is it okay for me to leave?"

"As soon as you need to, Tim. We'll take the team off rotation until Dwayne gets there."

"Thanks! I'll make my reservations today and let you know."

"Actually, hang on, let me check something."

When Cassie returned to the call, she was smiling, "As it happens, Secretary Porter is due here tomorrow morning, she's in Japan today. Her schedule shows her leaving Singapore on Friday and there are seats available. If you can get here before Friday, you can have a ride to DC."

"Wow, thanks! How do I pay for that?"

"You don't. Her jet is flying her to and from Naval bases and NCIS Field Offices. It will do so whether or not you're on it. Now, you'll have a layover in Pearl, the flight crew are only allowed to work so many hours and that's a 14 hour flight. I believe they have to be off 14 hours then. Their standard is 12 hours off."

"Huh, a 14 hour layover in Hawaii. I'm sure I could get some work done."

She laughed, "Funny guy. Don't you dare touch a file! However, what I was going to ask you is if your time in the States is 100% spoken for?"

"I don't know but I doubt it. I'll ask Director Vance if he has anything for me to do, in odd bits."

"Good, that's what I was going to suggest. As far as the time you're away, I'm going to call it part of your paternity-adoption leave. Keep track of the amount of time you work so we can keep our records clear."

Tim smiled, knowing she meant so he didn't lose any pay. "Thanks, I will. Wow, now I'm not dreading it so much!"

"The trip?"

"The flight!"

"She uses the jet as an office, so you'll have wi-fi and everything you need. Also, the chairs fold into beds and the food is wonderful. From what I see, there are only about 10 other people flying with her so it should be fairly quiet. I've added your name for her return from Singapore so let me know if your plans change."

"I will, Cassie, thanks!"

"Hey, Tim?"

"Yes?"

"If you can catch a flight that arrives before 1500 on Thursday, come into the office to say hello and then plan on dinner with my husband and me."

"Thanks, I'll do that!"

Disconnecting, Tim quickly found a flight that would get him to Singapore by 1230. He figured that gave him extra time to get his baggage, go through Customs and get to the office.

Looking at the time, he sent a text to Director Vance, asking if it was convenient to talk.

An almost immediate reply said, 'Yes!' so Tim and his phone disappeared into Observation, pinging the Director's Skype account.

Vance smiled at him, "Last time was good news, hope this is, too!"

"Most of it is, yes. That letter Pam sent me says a friend of mine has died and left instructions that I'm to be the legal guardian of her 2 small children. To do that, I have to appear in court to be approved by a judge. Plus, I need to meet the children in person and there are other details. I plan to adopt them which can also be started while I'm home. My court date won't be until at least week after next, possibly beyond that. So…I'm coming home for a couple of weeks. Special Agent Yates knows and approves, I'll let her tell you her plans for my absence. And," Tim's face lit up, "she's booked me a flight home on the SecNav's jet! I'm flying to Singapore Thursday and she leaves on Friday. With a layover in Hawaii."

"Wow, that's…ok, let's start with your friend. I'm sorry she's died. How old are the kids?"

"Henry Timothy is 4 and Emma Rose is 18 months."

"Nice middle names – and more diapers!"

Tim huffed, "That's all right, Jace and Lizbet are done with them."

"You never cease to amaze me, Timothy. Congratulations on your new children. Where are they now?"

"In foster care, with a couple who've had experience with grieving little ones."

"How long since their mother died?"

"A little over 3 months. They've been trying to contact me all this time."

" You said you hadn't met them in person yet."

"I didn't know they existed! We've met on Skype now and they're excited about having other kids to play with, as are my two."

"Four kids under 5! You are a brave man, McGee."

Tim chuckled, "The brave ones are Lu, Gibbs and Charlie, Dee's father. Ducky is staying until after Thanksgiving, then he's going home but Charlie, who's been here for the winter, doesn't want to leave the grandkids. He says the summer heat in Perth is about the same as Arizona. He rented out his house for the winter and now he hopes the people will want to stay year round.

"DiNozzo and his daughter will be arriving about the same time as the kids and I, that should be interesting. Sir, I don't know how busy I'll be, but the kids go to daycare and I'll want them to continue that until we leave. Structure helps with change, as you know. Anyway, I'm hoping that I'll have some free time and that you'll have some work for me that can be done in bits and pieces."

Vance laughed at that. "Yes, I can think of three things right off the top of my head! And you will come into the office, at least once, please. Bring current photos of Gibbs and the kids so we can all see how they're doing. Where are you staying?"

"At my friend Bill's place, he's on the Silver Spring side of Baltimore so that puts me in a decent position for Baltimore and DC or Virginia."

"Good. Too bad they can't all come with you."

"They could, I suppose but Ducky wants to be there for our birthdays and Thanksgiving and Gibbs really isn't ready for that long of a flight, or being in a crowded jet, for that matter. Other than the backyard and drives with Lu, he hasn't been anywhere."

"Drives?"

"He goes with her to and from the daycare, she or Charlie drive him to and from physical therapy and counseling and sometimes Lu and Gibbs drive down to the beach, which is less than 6 minutes away by car. Walking is still an issue with him, so he hasn't walked on the sand yet but that day is coming. He can drive but prefers to be a passenger."

"Can he pick the kids up yet?"

"No, Ducky won't let him. Says by the time he leaves for home, Gibbs will be able to but Ducky doesn't want to be there the first time, says it makes him too nervous." Tim's expression changed and Vance realized he might be having a hard time talking about Gibbs' injuries, inflicted by a woman he'd once considered a sister.

"So back to your stay here. Have you had any more thoughts about leaving, staying?"

"Lu, Gibbs and I are agreed that we'd like to leave. Charlie is fine with that as long as we go someplace as nice as Australia."

"And what does Timothy want?"

"Sir…I thought I was going to tell you any place but DC because it was too soon. Now, though, I want the kids to have as much family as possible and our family is almost all in the Greater DC Metro area. Except for Sarah and Rob and I know Rob will move home eventually."

"Wonderful! You've surprised me, I also expected you to say it was too soon to come home. But you know, Tim, with the kids, you'll be involved with daycare, then school and not so much the places you and Delilah were involved with when you were dating or when the twins were babies."

"Thank you. I do have my top four offices written down, if that's enough for my Wish List?"

"Absolutely, what are they?"

Tim told him, smiling at the big happy smile that appeared on Vance's face. "Wow, I don't think I've ever seen you smile like that!"

"That's because I've never smiled like this at work before. Now, hear me out, all right? We have a growing problem between Cyber Crimes and Field Agents. The field agents ask for help and the Cyber guys give them what they know to give them. If there isn't an agent on the team, or nearby, who's tech savvy enough to steer Cyber Crimes, it doesn't seem to work. Now, I know the CCU has its own unit but I also have come to believe that…" He stopped at the look on McGee's face. "Ok, you say it."

"That the techs need field experience. Maybe not all of them but enough so they can direct the others to what the field needs." Tim chuckled, "I did a lot of that behind the scenes."

"I know. And when you left, everyone discovered how much you'd done. Now, I'd like you to wear two hats, one as liaison between Field and Cyber, the other is to manage the CCU. Here, if you choose. Otherwise, it'll be London."

Tim's mouth dropped open and another big smile grew on his face. "The position sounds wonderful, sir! I want the children to have a few years at home, in the States, until they're old enough to truly appreciate travel and living in a different country. And, as much as Lu loves the adventure, taking on 4 kids when I'm not available is going to be a lot more work. If we're at home, we'll have access to more child minders. And the kids will get to know their Palmer cousins better. Jace and Lizbet miss Victoria and Davey. They see them on Skype, but it's hard to play together when you're thousands of miles apart."

"Great, then by all means, come home!" Vance paused, "You can take the kids to Delaware to the ocean beaches in the summers."

Tim grinned, "We'll manage. When?"

"This is where it gets a bit tricky. If you were all coming now, you could stay here and then move on. But with your new kids and Gibbs still recovering, how about we wait until April? That'll give the family time to come together and to enjoy summer living near a beach. Do you think Gibbs wants to come back to work?"

Tim's happy look faded while he thought about it and then returned as he said, "In some capacity, yes, sir. He'll want free time to spend with his grandbabies and one of them will probably return to Europe after visiting us."

"When he's well enough and if he wants to, he can do some consulting for us and the DC Field Office. Right off the bat, I can think of several things for him to do that wouldn't be full-time."

"Great and thank you!"

"What about your father-in-law?"

"He might not stay for the DC winters but I'll bet he'll come for the rest of the year. He missed most of Dee's childhood and I can't see him giving up access to the grandkids."

"And you think Lu will be all right with moving home? Or will she be happy to go wherever Gibbs goes?"

Tim smiled, "Can't discount the pull of grandchildren! The attraction is definitely mutual although it's really too early to tell."

"Good, that would be great for the whole family!"

"No counting chickens just yet, sir, please!"

With a laugh, they resumed talking about work, eventually disconnecting. Realizing he'd spent most of the day in Observation and hadn't yet told his team anything, Tim opened the door and peeked around the corner.

His agents were working on cold cases, reviewing them together while Glynee was fussing with the printer. He left her to it for now.

Returning to his desk, he looked at the time and made a face. "Anyone have plans for lunch?"

When they all said no, he smiled, "Then let's go out or order in, my treat. Got things I want to tell you. Oh and the office is off rotation until Monday."

That raised eyebrows and Ty said, "Then let's eat in so we can relax and ask you questions."

"Sounds good."

Picking one of their favorites cafés, they placed their order and then Ty got the only table, in Interrogation, ready for their lunch. They kept a supply of plates, napkins, cups and utensils in the office so it wasn't hard to do and they washed them in the lavatory sink.

The delivery service stopped at several places so their entrees and beverages would come from one place and when Tim wanted dessert, the others agreed. That made a second stop for their delivery person. That took time and it was an hour before their lunch arrived. That was fine, they kept a small microwave, electric kettle and mini refrigerator in the supply room, rolling the microwave out when they needed it.

After reheating their food, they sat down to their feast, laughing at Tim who ate his dessert first. "What? I want to enjoy it and if I wait until after I eat my lunch, I might be too full."

"Going to teach your kids that?"

"Nope, took me 30 years to figure out, they can do the same. But speaking of my kids…" He told them about his friend's death and her request that he raise her children as their legal guardian. "They're in Maryland, so I have to go to the States. And there are other legal matters so I'll be gone for at least two weeks. I'm leaving Thursday, tomorrow. Dwayne Wilson, who was here between Mitchell and me last January, will arrive sometime between Thursday and Sunday. That's why we're off rotation. He's coming in from Manila and probably bringing his family so I don't know exactly when he'll arrive but he'll be here Monday morning at the latest. You know what, he and I need to talk before I go, I'll call him when we finish here, see if he's made his reservations yet."

"All right, thanks. I can't believe you're bringing home two more kids. How old are they?" That was from Glynee who was a great person although very uncomfortable with kids.

"The little one is 18 months and her older brother is 4. Glynee, there aren't any other family or friends who would be suitable parents and I don't want them to grow up in foster care. Carly, my friend, left an abusive home at 14, an emancipated minor. She has many friends but they all depend, depended on her, not the other way around. She was sort of an 'Earth Mother' to her circle of friends. And she knows I've already raised kids, she knows, knew," Tim sighed, "my sister and brother."

"I'm sorry, Tim, I'm grousing about kids and you've lost your friend."

"Thanks, I'm okay. We broke off contact 7 years ago when I met Delilah, my wife. Now they're both gone."

"Oh Tim, we're so sorry."

Tim shook his head, "I am too, it was a shock, she was always so healthy. She went to a sperm bank both times although the kids look enough alike that they might have the same father."

"Do you have photos?"

"Yes, I took some online with the call." Tim pulled out his laptop and showed them the stills of Henry and Emma. With a smile he said, "Henry's middle name is Timothy."

"Oh, that's sweet. They're beautiful, just like your kids."

"Thanks, I think so too. Now, while I'm away I'll be checking in at the Navy Yard whenever I can, so if you need anything, leave a message with um…hmm. You know what, ask for Natalie. She's the only Natalie there and you can leave a message with her. Or send me a text. Just please remember the time difference!"

Hannah laughed, "By the time you get over your jet lag, you'll be on the way home!"

Tim nodded. Ty asked when he was getting into DC and Tim grinned, "I don't know. When I called SSAIC Yates, she offered me a seat on Secretary Porter's jet. She's flying in from Japan tonight, will be in Singapore tomorrow and leave for DC on Friday. However, we'll have a layover at Pearl so the flight crew can sleep, then continue to DC on Saturday, I guess or maybe overnight Friday."

"You're flying with the Secretary of the Navy _and_ you're laying over in Hawaii? Wow!"

"I know, huh?."

"That'd be great for the kids, coming back, too."

Tim laughed, "Yeah, I'll ask when she plans her next visit to Asia!"

They all laughed at the idea. Tim shook his head, "I think we'll stop at the same beach resort we stayed in on the way here last summer."

"Just the three of you."

"Sure, we'll manage. The kids will have known me for a few days by that time." He frowned, "Wonder if they've ever flown before?" He shrugged, "Guess we'll find out!"

As he needed to leave the office shortly after lunch and they were off rotation and caught up on reports, Tim sent an email to contact Agent Clark if the Perth team was needed and then contacted Agent Wilson. When he left, they walked out with him. He advised them to stay safe and not to tease Ty too much. Agent Mercer grinned at that.

At home, Tim got busy sorting clothes. He needed clothes for at least two days in court, so two suits went into his garment bag along with appropriate shirts and ties and he took his dress shoes out to remind him to pack them. After that, it didn't take long. He took two jackets, one light, one slightly heavier, rolling his eyes at returning to Autumn in the mid-Atlantic. Then he smiled, it would still be Spring here when he returned and he'd still get to celebrate his birthday, Thanksgiving and Christmas during nice weather, that would be a real treat. As it turned out, it would probably be a once in a lifetime treat!

Once he sorted everything, he stopped before packing them, he'd do that later. First he needed to ask his family how they'd feel about moving home.

Everyone was home but the kids, he'd asked Lu to wait to pick them up. When the three men and Lu gathered in the family room, he smiled at them. "Couple things to tell you. First is that I'm hitching a ride home with Secretary Porter. She's in Japan, on her way to Singapore tonight and is leaving for home on Friday, with a layover at Pearl for the flight crew."

Charlie looked stunned while the others were grinning. Charlie finally said, "You're flying with the Secretary of the Navy?"

Gibbs answered, "Sure, I've done it before. She likes us, we rescued her daughter when she was kidnapped. Caught the kidnappers too."

Tim huffed, "Boss, you saved her life in MTAC."

"True, guess I forgot about that."

"Wow, I had no idea!"

Gibbs raised an eyebrow, "Charlie, we were the top team in the agency for 11 years running, we've had many dealings with each of the Secretaries of the Navy we've served."

Tim gave him a look, "15 years and you know it!"

"Ok, 15, didn't want to sound too braggy."

"Hey, we worked our butts off to close those cases and get convictions."

Charlie raised an eyebrow at Tim, "That's the team you left?"

"When your daughter needed emergency surgery and we could only find one doctor in the entire country who would do it? You bet I left!"

"Sorry, that's not the way I meant it. Dee always made it sound, I don't know, a little more ordinary."

"Well sure, you heard the everyday stuff instead of the overall results."

Charlie nodded with a pained look and Tim stopped to give him a hug, murmuring that he was sorry he misunderstood.

Resuming his explanation, Tim said, "So that's how I'm flying home, with a 14 hour stopover in Hawaii. I'm sure flying back will be more painful, with kids who barely know me. I'll manage, don't worry and yes, Lu, I think we'll stop at that same resort."

"Good idea, Timothy." That was Ducky, still in shock that Tim had inherited two young children.

"The other thing that happened today, well it really started a few weeks ago when Vance asked how long I wanted to stay here." Tim was suddenly glad he'd mentioned that to Lu after that particular chat with Vance.

"Today we talked about it some more. He's thinking about me leaving the field and using my field expertise to manage Cyber Crimes. I gave him my wish list for which offices but now with more children, I feel we need to be closer to the rest of our family, the Palmers and the Baltimore uncles. So, if everyone agrees, we'll leave here in April and move back to the DC area. The Georgetown house is already on the market and with that money and some of my Gemcity earnings, I want to buy a big house with some land around it, trees, garden, room for the kids to play. And although I know Ducky will probably return to his home with the Palmers, I'm hoping Lu, Charlie and Gibbs will live with us."

Gibbs' eyes and eyebrows snapped up in surprise and the others resembled cartoon characters displaying surprise. Ducky's eyes widened, Charlie's jaw dropped open and Lu looked very happy. She wouldn't mind moving home, she missed her other boys, or having help with the children. What pleased her the most was that Tim would no longer be putting his life at risk every day. Another big plus was that she and Gibbs could continue to develop their whatever they had going.

Gibbs nodded, "Makes sense, a perfect blend of your skills and talents, regular hours and you won't be putting your life on the line every day, better for the children and us! Will you be working directly with the Field teams?"

"I'm not sure yet. That's part of the reason we'll be here until April, so we can hammer out exactly what my responsibilities will be and how it'll work. As the Navy Yard CCU handles cases from there plus the DC and Norfolk Field Offices, I think I'll be working with them, too. Ultimately, I want the CCU folks to have some field agent training and the field agents to have some CCU training. At least enough to reach some common understanding of the needs of each. Also, by staying until April, we get to miss another DC winter, always a plus."

Lu said, "That'll be fun, Tony and Tali can stay with us for Christmas and all the grandkids will be there!"

Charlie said something about the weather and Tim nodded, "I know, it's nasty. But we're not far from Delaware and ocean beaches and the Chesapeake is even closer. Winter, well, Charlie, maybe think about returning to Arizona for the winter." Tim smiled, "We'll come visit, as often as possible!"

Charlie chuckled and then tilted his head in thought, "You all have spoiled me here, being part of the family. I'm not sure I want to go home to all the old farts."

"Come with us. Return to Arizona after Christmas and come home in April or May."

"Now that's a great idea! Miss winter and spend the rest of the year with the family." Charlie rubbed his hands together, "When are we going?"

The others laughed, calling out, "April!" as he rolled his eyes.

Tim grabbed the car keys, ready to pick up the kids, but Lu stopped him. "Before you go, there's something else we want to discuss."

"All right."

"It's something we tossed around a little today and the more I think about it, the more I think we should do it."

"Lu?"

"Jethro is the only one who isn't up to traveling. I'm fine, so are Ducky and Charlie. We four want one of the three of us to go with you to meet Henry and Emma and bring them home. All three men are capable of taking care of the children and the house. I want to go with you."

Tim stood still, closing his eyes and smiling. "Thank you, yes, please come with me to meet our new babies." He opened his eyes, "I asked Cassie to reserve two seats going to DC, just in case, and we'll book four seats coming home." Now he grinned, "I prayed for help and it happened."

She patted his cheek, "Why didn't you ask?"

"Because sometimes I feel I'm relying too much on all of you grandparents to raise my children. And Carly, well…"

"Timmo, I know full well what Carly was to you and you to her, I've always known. I was thankful you two had enough common sense to realize you'd never be able to make a marriage work between you. I am sorry you've lost her, that the world has lost her."

Tim looked around, finding unanimous agreement from the other three. Lu was going with him!

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

While Tim had been dreading the trip home with the children, now he was happier about it. They'd still plan to stop on 'their' beach on the way back for a couple of days, that would make a nice break for all of them. They'd make their flight reservations and reserve another beach cabana as soon as they knew Tim's court date(s).

Tim and Lu alternated spending time with the children and packing for their trip that evening. Lu reported that Bill was very happy to hear she was flying in with Tim and said she would also stay at his place, he had plenty of room. Freddie and Joe would make one of their personal vehicles available to them while they were home as they normally used one of their company vans in their plumbing work. Tim grinned at the mention of plural vans, those two had worked very hard to build their business and it was paying off.

Before they left, Gibbs took Tim aside. "If you're given custody before you're ready to come home, you'll need a bigger place to stay than Bill's apartment. Here are the keys to my house and to Fornell's. He's in California for at least the next month and asked that I pass the word along to you that you, Lu and the children are more than welcome to stay there. Same goes for my house. Everything has been repaired, the windows replaced. Leon's been housing TAD folks there but it's empty right now. The other thing I wanted to tell you is that if you find a house you want, go for it. I'll back you as far as funding and any repairs that are needed."

He gave Tim as look as the younger man started to object. "I know, Elf Lord, that you're a big boy and want to do this all by yourself. However, fathers are allowed to help their children and I have plenty of money and time to help. Please let me?"

Feeling a bit ashamed of himself, Tim nodded and then rolled his eyes at his former boss. Of course the man knew his soft spots. With a grin, Gibbs continued, "Also, when you sell the Georgetown house, please offer my services for any repairs or changes needed for the access elements we put in. As long as whatever it is can wait until April."

Tim wrapped his arms around him, "Thanks, Poppy!"

"Hey, I'm not your grandfather! Think you could call me Dad?"

Tim nodded and the two men hugged each other.

Although it was difficult to say goodbye early the next morning, the two left Merriwa with lighter hearts than Tim would have done by himself. Charlie drove them to the airport, kissing both of them goodbye.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

With all the reading material Tim and Lu had downloaded, the flight to Singapore passed quickly and they landed on time. With their luggage, it was easier to take a taxi to the office rather than public transportation. Stashing their things in the security office, Tim took a somewhat reluctant Lu upstairs with him to meet Cassie Yates and the Singapore team. She hadn't thought about their time between flights in Singapore! Luckily, she had something besides her traveling clothes to wear for dinner out or she could opt out, stay at their hotel or go out on her own. However, she knew Agent Yates, Tim's boss, was a friend from his first days at the agency and was curious to hear stories of Rookie Tim. She'd already heard several stories about Probie Tim from Jethro, now she had a chance to learn more about her boy's life during his first year with the agency.

She smiled as Tim's boss quickly ended a phone call and then greeted him with a big hug. Shaking Lu's hand, Agent Yates asked to be called Cassie and said she was very happy to finally meet Lu.

After that, Yates took them on a tour of the office. It was, of course, much larger than the Perth office. After that, the two travelers retrieved their luggage and took a taxi to their hotel. Both had a nap and a swim before getting ready for dinner.

Cassie Yates and her husband, Mitchell Shaw, picked them up at the hotel, driving to an elegant looking restaurant on the water. As Mitch parked the car, Cassie turned toward the back seat. "We have a surprise guest joining us this evening, Secretary Porter. Lu, have you ever met her?"

Mutely, she shook her head while Tim inwardly sighed, he should have seen this coming. On the other hand…he turned to Lu, "This will be nice, Malu. It'll give you a chance to get to know her a bit before we spend most of two days on the jet together. She's very personable."

Mitch looked in the mirror, "Malu?"

Tim chuckled, "One of our family's nicknames for her is Mama Lu and over the years we've shortened it to Malu."

Cassie smiled, that was a nice touch from Tim, reminding her of their chosen family. She'd met a couple of them, through Tim. She'd even dated the oldest of Lu's sons, Bill, for a few weeks, until their schedules left them drifting further and further apart. She wondered why she'd never met Lu before now.

Lu smiled, "At home in the States, that's my name with my big kids. In Australia with my grands, I'm Grama Lu."

"Are there other grandparents?"

Tim nodded, "My father-in-law came to stay with us in May and is still there. His grandfather name is Granpa Charlie, which before the twins could handle their letters was first Gwanpa Chawwie, then Granpa Charlie and they've stuck with that. Then a dear friend, Donald Mallard, whose nickname is Ducky, came for a visit. Cassie, you know him! Anyway, when his fellow ME and his wife had their first child, the first child of all of us, they asked Ducky to be the baby's Granducky. So he's now Granducky to several children. And my former boss, Gibbs, is Poppy to the same kids."

Cassie's eyes widened at that, "Ducky is perfect for a grandfather and I love his name. However, I cannot picture Gibbs as a grandpa!"

"He's great! When they were babies, he'd show up at our place and shoo us out of the apartment, told us to go away for however many hours he had available. One time we got called in while he had the twins and when I got to the office, the twins were there with him, on a blanket on the floor. He's recovering from some serious injuries right now so he can't lift them but he plays with them, reads to them, watches their favorite shows and Disney movies with them."

"Wow, I'm stunned!"

Lu was curious about the woman's lack of knowledge about Jethro, "He was a dad before Tim and Tony. He and his first wife had a little girl, Kelly. She and her mother were killed when Kelly was 8."

Cassie's eyes widened in horror, "I didn't know that, Lu. That's horrible, the poor man. Tim, is that why he's the way he is?"

"That and losing his mother when he was about 14, yes. But he's not that way with us, Cassie. He's still not the biggest talker, but he smiles and laughs, even after what he's been through."

Mitch frowned but Cassie caught it, they were walking into the restaurant now and shook her head. They were shown to their table and Secretary Porter joined them a few minutes later.

Lu had to bite the inside of her cheek when, after greeting Cassie and Mitchell, the Secretary kissed Tim on the cheek. "Timothy, it's been too long and you're too far away."

Tim smiled, "It has been awhile, ma'am. I'd like to introduce you to my mom, Lu Morgan. Lu, this is Secretary Porter."

"Ms. Morgan, I'm happy to meet you!"

Lu managed to say something not terribly inane, asking to be called Lu.

The woman was so warm and interested in everything that Lu said later she quickly forgot Sarah Porter's place in US politics and in particular, her son's life. When she asked her something about going home, it took Lu a second to realize she meant now, not next April.

"A friend of Tim's made Tim the legal guardian of her children before she died. He's going home to meet them, go through the legal process and start adoption procedures. We have 2 ½ perfectly able men at home, plus neighbors and a daycare teacher we trust, to take care of the twins for a couple of weeks and I thought it might be easier on the new little ones if they had a grandma with them, so here I am."

"Two and a half? Oh, Gibbs isn't fully recovered yet. I'm so thankful that he survived that horrible ordeal and is home with all of you, I'm sure that's doing wonders for him. And how serendipitous that Dr. Mallard was there!"

Tim smiled, "He or Dr. Palmer would have been on the next flight if Ducky hadn't already been there. As it was, we had a full set of instructions from the physicians who'd been caring for him."

"Who's the third man? Sorry, that's nosy of me!"

Lu grinned, "That's all right. It's Charlie Fielding, Tim's father-in-law. I should say retired Marine Colonel Charles Fielding."

"Oh, one of our retirees, wonderful! That's lovely that he has all of you."

She turned to Tim, looking him in the eyes before nodding. "You're doing all right, I can see that."

"Thanks, ma'am. It's been difficult but then I look at my children and see their mother in them. And having my own mother with me as well as Charlie and Ducky and thank God, Gibbs, has really helped. And I'm certainly broadening my horizons here. We've worked cases in nearly every South East Asian country but here, the Philippines, Laos and Vietnam. And I've only been here 10 months!"

She nodded with a chuckle, "I hope you like flying!" Then she grinned, "I had coffee with Hollis Mann after you saw her."

Cassie laughed, "Did she tell you about all the souvenirs?"

"Said she didn't see them all but there were two zippered bags in her trunk, still had price tags on them."

Tim shook his head with a smile, "That was one of the strangest experiences I've ever had at the agency and there was nothing creepy or dangerous about it! Yes, I buy trinkets for my kids. One of my agents went a little island happy buying clothes. The other one bought Christmas gifts for his family, brought them back to Perth with us."

"Oh, well that was thoughtful and I'm sure swimsuits and island wear aren't usually part of your go bag contents."

Tim grinned, "I usually have a swimsuit or a pair of shorts and flip-flops with me and an extra towel. Many hotels have pools and when we're on an overnight for a case, if there's time, swimming before I try to sleep really helps. I carry the towel and flip-flops because on the MCRT, we stayed in too many fleabag motels where the rooms hadn't been cleaned. More than once, DiNozzo and I sneaked out to sleep in the MCRT van or agency sedan. Once we were in a small town with one motel and one room available. DiNozzo and I slept in the van while Gibbs had the sedan to himself, the fourth member of our team was snoring so loudly we could hear them outside."

Cassie was nodding, "I did the same thing, Tim, not the snoring, but the swimsuit or shorts and a tank top, flip-flops, towel, my own soap, shampoo, etc., a spray can of disinfectant, an inflatable pillow and a travel sheet."

Tim grinned, "I have one of those, too. It's silk and over 7 feet in length so I don't have to curl up. I too carry my own shampoo and soap, have an inflatable pillow and carry disinfectant wipes as well as a spray bottle. I also have an electric kettle for hot water, converters for the plug, a plastic coffee filter, a plastic coffee mug and my own ground coffee. Gibbs taught me that."

Cassie laughed, "I learned that from Pacci, I bet he taught Gibbs, too."

"That makes sense."

"Did he teach you to wear gloves to take the sheets off the bed and spray them down, hang them over the shower rod so they'd dry before you went to bed?"

His eyes wide, Tim shook his head. "Uh, no, Cassie. From my first day, I had my own sheet with me, Lu taught me that."

Lu laughed, "That I did. Took up very little space in your suitcases and had multiple uses."

Mitch looked puzzled, "Camping?"

Tim tilted his head. "Not for pleasure. My sister, brothers and I grew up on the streets, Mitch, in a transient camp. We slept in old worn out tents with very thin floors. We could use our sheets as tents or a tent within a tent for more warmth or a floor in our tent or fold it up a few times for a blanket. If I had to leave the tent in the middle of the night, I'd bundle my sheet to look like I was still in my sleeping bag so no one would take my sister or brother or our cases."

"Take your sister and brother? Traffickers?"

"Yes. Creep made a run at them about a year after we landed in Baltimore."

"Someone stopped him?"

Cassie touched her husband's arm, "Tim stopped him. He threw a homemade shiv at him from 10 feet and hit his target dead on."

In unison, Tim and Lu said, "5 feet."

Secretary Porter shook her head. "No matter how often I hear that, it still makes me shiver and even prouder of you, Timothy."

"Thank you, ma'am. World would be short a future doctor and a bestselling novelist if I somehow hadn't found the strength to hit that guy in the right place."

Lu wrapped an arm around him. "Your guardian angel, Tim. And then he or she went on vacation for a few years."

Tim laughed at that, "I guess so, huh? Although we're still here."

Mitch shook his head, "Do all NCIS agents have crazy stories like that? Yours is not the first I've heard, although you're probably the youngest, I mean in your story."

Tim tilted his head, "I guess I shouldn't be surprised. I think it takes something extra to want to be a federal agent. Whether it's knowing someone that's been helped or being frightened by a criminal that was apprehended by a fed or, in my case, wanting to ensure that no other kids fell through the cracks when they lost their service member parent. I know after 9-11, there was a surge of applicants for federal law enforcement as well as the military. We all wanted to stop terrorism."

Realizing the conversation was becoming a little too intense, he changed the topic by asking Cassie if she had any crazy stories, knowing she had at least two she could tell. The one she picked was an amusing one about an undercover operation she'd been on where she was the head of a forensics lab with some interesting employees. The employees were real forensic experts and Cassie sometimes had to scramble to keep up with them. The story she told was one time when she suggested something so outrageous that she was sure she'd outed herself. Instead, her forensics team went into overdrive trying to prove or disprove her theory. She described their efforts and their questions to her which she said she turned back to them, asking them what they thought.

They all laughed as she ended her tale, saying that when the operation was over and the truth was known, she was actually offered a job in the forensics lab!

Their server arrived to take their orders, followed by the delivery of their drinks. Over their beverages, they relaxed a little more and Cassie looked at Tim. "I had an interesting chat with the Director recently."

Tim smiled, "Me too. I'm always amazed by his ideas and questions."

They went back and forth for a couple of minutes before Secretary Porter huffed. "Oh, out with it, you two! I've been briefed and I'm sure Lu knows."

Lu twisted her lips, "Mm, what is it I'm supposed to know?"

Tim grinned, "It's okay, Malu, they're talking about our next move."

"The April plan?"

He nodded and Mitch waved a hand. "I thought I knew but now I'm confused!"

Cassie said something to him quietly and he grinned at Tim. "Oh, didn't know it wasn't happening until April. Congratulations!"

"Thanks! I haven't really taken it all in yet, my head's still spinning with the whole idea. It's strange because it's something I've wanted to do for a long time but I worked hard to be selected for Gibbs' team, even harder to stay on it and had no intentions of leaving, even if I remained a JFA for the rest of my career. That is, until I had kids and my priorities changed. And then everything changed. However, other than an unexpected trek into the outback, I haven't been in any danger down here and I'd forgotten that Delilah and I planned for me to leave the field so that one of us would have regular hours and not put our lives on the line every day.

"Mitch, my wife, who was my girlfriend then, was badly injured in the Gala bombing in 2015, she was not only left a paraplegic, but the surgeons had to leave shrapnel from the explosion in her body. And they didn't know how stable it was, that's what I mean by including her in putting our lives on the line. But she recovered, even transferred to Dubai for several months. When she came home we eventually married and she had our twins by natural birth. We traveled with the babies when we had time. She insisted on doing as much as she could, hating that she had limitations. She was driving in DC last year when a drunk driver broadsided her car. Her mother, who was in the front passenger seat, was killed and the impact badly injured Delilah. The shrapnel was dislodged and despite heroic efforts, she died two weeks later.

"You'd think I would have left the field then but instead I clung to the job I know and love, plus my boss was missing and somehow staying in the field was tied into finding him. It wasn't but it seemed so at the time. Now, I'm ready. I've accepted the fact that I'm a single parent, although I'm really not. My kids have 3 wonderful grandparents who love and care for them. Still, I'm their single father and I owe it to my children to be there with and for them.

Mitch nodded, "I understand, to a certain degree. It's why we didn't start our family until Cassie left the field. And now your family's growing without any input from you!"

Tim smiled, "Maybe, but I'd never turn away a child in need of a home. So now I'm excited about my new gig, still investigating criminal cases but from a different angle and without having to keep my sidearm in the house with four young children."

Porter nodded, "I hadn't thought of that, Tim, but I can see that will be a relief. Have you thought about where you want to live?"

Tim shook his head but Lu nodded, "I have! As close to the Navy Yard as we can get and still have a yard, trees and a garden with a good school district."

"Alexandria or Arlington or were you thinking of Maryland?"

Both Lu and Tim shook their heads and Lu answered, "No, we want to live in Virginia or the District. But Tim says Georgetown is too expensive and the yards are too small."

Tim smiled, "When we were growing up on the street, my siblings and I used to dream about having a big white house with dark green or blue shutters, a big front porch in a park-like setting, lots of trees, like a forest. Our plan was to have kids without families live there and then we'd live there too, taking care of them. That's what I want, the house, I mean."

Mitch looked thoughtful, "I know of one like that, in Arlington. Used to drive by it all the time. I don't know who lived there or who might own it now."

Tim gave him a happy smile, "Thanks for telling me it exists, man, that's great!"

Their meals arrived and their conversation stopped while the group enjoyed their dinner.

After they ate, they had coffees before their evening came to an end. They said their goodbyes to Secretary Porter as her security team appeared around her. There was one more surprise for Tim and Lu, the Secretary had arranged transportation for them in the morning, from their hotel to the airbase.

They were leaving very early, with a fourteen hour flight to Hickam Joint Base and the difference in time between Singapore and Hawaii, they'd land about 11:30 AM. They'd have the entire afternoon and evening to enjoy Hawaii. They'd decided to do a 'hop on/hop off' bus tour that would take them to Pearl Harbor and around the tourist sights of Honolulu. After that, they'd have time to themselves on a beach that Charlie recommended and then see a dinner show, a luau. They were allowed to leave their checked luggage with the jet but would take their carry-on bags with their swim gear and a change of clothes for their dinner.

Realizing they'd need a place to change and perhaps rest, they'd decided to get hotel rooms for their stay. Charlie recommended a hotel very close to the beach, their restaurant also featured a weekly luau, and then made the reservation for them, using his own hotel membership points to give them a healthy discount. That was great, they could not only rest there if needed, they could safely leave their belongings. Tim knew he wouldn't be able to stay awake all night and he doubted Lu would either. This way, they had beds, privacy and security.

They'd need to check in at the base by 0430 for their 0630 departure for DC. When Tim asked about the availability of taxis at that hour, the concierge said they would not have a problem finding transportation. She told him that many military folks traveled through Hickam and did the same thing they were doing, using the layovers to sightsee and do some beachcombing. When she offered to make a reservation for a taxi once they checked in, Tim agreed.

Now, back at the hotel in Singapore, they made arrangements for a very early breakfast and then Tim said goodnight to Lu. Their rooms were adjoining so there was no danger of one of them sleeping too late, although both were usually early risers.

They needn't have bothered with their hotel breakfast as a piping hot and tasty breakfast was served shortly after their takeoff the next morning. Their flight was smooth and comfortable, although it felt very strange to be without the twins. They'd recorded and sent a little video after they boarded, showing them where they would sit and what the plane looked like. They would call the children and their grandfathers at a time agreed to before leaving, 1430 Hawaiian time, Saturday when it would be 0830 Sunday morning in Merriwa.

Their seats were folded into beds for them and were so comfortable that Lu was asleep in less than 5 minutes, while Tim took a little longer to nod off.

He woke to find Lu up and moving around. Most of the passengers were still asleep, including the Secretary. Checking his watch, Tim was amazed to see he'd slept 7 hours! That was good, they were a little over halfway through their flight. He'd get up and move around, drink as much water as he could stand and eventually try to sleep for a few more hours. He was determined to stay awake for as long as possible during their layover.

After walking with Lu for close to 40 minutes and drinking what felt like a gallon of water, Tim made a trip to the restroom and then settled in for another nap.

When he woke again, there were only about 30 minutes to go before their arrival in Hawaii. Knowing Lu would want to watch out the window, Tim woke her. The two of them headed for the restroom, cleaning up and changing from sweats into their street clothes.

When they returned to their beds, they found the flight attendants were waking people and returning their beds to the comfortable seats. With so few passengers aboard, everyone had a window and Tim and Lu were quickly engrossed in watching the endless water for signs of the Hawaiian Islands. Secretary Porter, whom they'd talked with earlier, came by to say hello to everyone and to wish them a happy layover, which brought chuckles. Everyone was continuing on to DC and Porter said no one else was joining the flight, so the same seats would be theirs when they returned to the jet tomorrow morning. Checking the local time, Tim and Lu changed their watches. Tim's watch displayed multiple time zones, so the current time in Perth moved to the secondary spot while Hawaii's current time had the top spot.

Watching out the window, Tim and Lu saw the beauty of Hawaii first from far above and then more details as the jet descended. The landing was the best Tim had ever experienced but as he said to Lu, "These are Navy and Marine pilots, they have to be the best to fly the Secretary of the Navy!"

Disembarking, Lu remarked that the air on her skin felt perfect. "Just enough humidity and heat."

Tim had requested Uber and their driver was waiting for them. He smiled at the carry-on bags, "Let me guess, you're here on a layover?"

"Yes, that's us! We're staying at…" Tim gave the driver the name of the hotel and he nodded. "Sure, it's right on the beach, good choice!"

As he drove, he asked what they had planned and they told him beach, tour, luau, some sleep and then returning to the base at 0400. He chuckled, "Good, sounds like you have as much covered as you can. I can drive you back, if you'd like."

"You don't mind the time?"

"Nah, I drive my wife to work at 0345, she runs a bakery that's open on Sundays for the tourists, crazy. Anyway, I normally work for a few hours after I drop her off, then take the rest of the day off. I'm happy to pick you up."

"That would be great, thanks."

Telling them a couple of his favorite places for lunch or drinks and a few places to avoid, he dropped them off at the hotel, waiting until they were inside. Lu grinned as she saw the beach on both sides of the hotel. "This is so wonderful! Are you sure we want to do the tour?"

"You don't have to! I really only want to see the museum at Pearl Harbor and it's a guided tour but it's casual, we can hop on and off the bus."

"Oh, shoot, I want to see that too. Okay, how much beach time do we have?"

Tim grinned, "Tour first, then our time is our own. And the luau is here so once we're back from the tour, we don't have to go anywhere else."

"Excellent planning, Timmo!"

They were welcomed with leis and photos at the hotel, courtesy of Charlie. Their rooms were once again adjoining and on the fourth floor with wonderful views of the beach and ocean. Everything was comfortable and clean but then neither traveler had had a doubt, not if it had Charlie's recommendation!

Within minutes, they were ready to leave again and were just in time to hop on the bus as it came by. Seeing Pearl Harbor was worth the 14 hour flight on its own. It moved both of them and Tim was happy to sign the visitor log as 'NCIS Special Agent M.'

They finally left when their tummies started rumbling, reminding them of Jace. It was still too early to call them so they hopped back on one of the tour buses and watched for one of the outdoor cafés their Uber driver recommended. Easily spotting it, they got off at the next stop, walking a couple of blocks back to it. After a delicious lunch, they hopped back on the bus, rode through Honolulu, finally disembarking near their hotel.

Upstairs, they took Tim's laptop out on his balcony and called home. The family was together in the backyard, Charlie and Ducky were teaching the kids to play softball, although at their age it was more T-ball. They oohed and ahhed at the views of the beach and ocean and the men nodded in agreement at Tim and Lu's description of their emotions while visiting Pearl Harbor. Charlie tilted his head, "My dad's favorite uncle was on the Arizona."

Jethro nodded, "My dad lost a cousin at Pearl."

Ducky shook his head, "I remember our horror at hearing about it and we were already under attack by the Germans. Sadly, we also realized it would mean the U.S. would finally officially enter the war."

Lizbet looked at her adults, "It's sad there?"

Tim nodded, "It is sad, sweetie. But it happened a long time ago. When you're older, you'll hear about it in your history classes."

"Oh. So we don't have to be sad now?"

"No, you don't."

His son gave him a sharp nod, saying, "Good! You saw it but you're not there so you're not sad now, Daddy."

"Thanks, Jace. We're going to the beach in a few minutes."

"Ooh, Daddy, shells?"

"I'll bring you some for your collection." Tim had already purchased a small net bag of shells for them.

"Thank you!"

They spent nearly 30 minutes with them before signing off. Their next call with them would likely be from the U.S. and would include whichever of the twins' uncles picked them up at the airbase.

After the call, they changed into their swim duds, applied sunscreen, grabbed hats, flip-flops, towels, bottles of water and reading material. Tim had a water-proof pouch that would keep his phone dry while he was in the water. Lu left hers in her room. They turned their room keys into the front desk, Tim feeling it was safer that way. Their wallets, Lu's phone and other valuables were in the room safe, although Tim had some cash on him, in case there was an ice cream or souvenir shack on the beach. Lu laughed at him, he'd already purchased trinkets for his team, toys for all four of the children and had Pearl Harbor mementos for the three older men. She was certain he'd purchased something for her but couldn't think what. Unless it was that unusual…, no, she wasn't going to think about it, she'd rather be surprised!

The water felt wonderful and the two of them had fun playing in the waves. Lu hoped to see a sea turtle and so, following tips she'd read online, she swam out past a group of tourists. Wearing her snorkeling gear, she was amazed to see not one but two sea turtles! She knew from the same online site to stay 2 yards away from them, as the currents could sweep you into them, as well as to never ever touch one of them, it's illegal. Lastly, she knew she shouldn't chase the sea turtles. Tim soon joined her and the two of them hung out with the turtles for at least a quarter of an hour.

Lu was happy, she'd had Pearl Harbor, beaching it and swimming with sea turtles on her 'Must Do or See' list and she'd done all of them! She made a mental note to mention it to Secretary Porter.

Tim was also happy; he's always wanted to see sea turtles and to snorkel without hordes of people or boats around. Lu was as quiet as he was so that was not a problem.

Back on the beach for more sunscreen, they rested in the shade of a beach umbrella, kindly left them by people who'd rented it for the whole day but had to leave after only two hours. Tim tried to reimburse them but they waved him off. No matter, he made a note on his phone to give the couple a shout-out in his next book.

Both Lu and Tim were upset when his phone buzzed, it was time to leave the beach to get ready for their luau. Turning in the umbrella, they walked toward the steps to the back terrace of the hotel. Walking up the steps, Tim looked longingly at the swimming pool and bar. Lu laughed, "It'll only take me 20 minutes to get ready, including a shower." Tim nodded, "15 minutes for me."

Like two little kids given an unexpected treat, they giggled as they put their beach things down and jumped into the pool. Tim quickly swam several laps while Lu swam more sedately. Back out again, they sat in the lounge chairs, each enjoying an adult beverage. Their drinks server took a photo for them and they sent copies to Barry in Baltimore and Ducky in Merriwa, knowing both would share.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

As the jet taxied to the runway the next morning, Tim got comfortable in his bed, turning off his overhead light. He and Lu had a wonderful time in Hawaii, the luau was interesting, delicious and fun, more fun than he'd thought it would be and they had the photos, experiences and souvenirs to prove it.

It was time now to get back to the reason for this trip, meeting his young legal wards and he hoped future son and daughter. He'd meet with Social Services on Monday and would finally meet the children in person either Monday afternoon or Tuesday. And at some point, he'd visit the Navy Yard. In the meantime, he would relax and get some sleep as their next stop was several hours away, in DC.

* * *

Note: In NCIS, Special Agent Cassie Yates was played by actress Tamara Taylor. Ms. Taylor went on to play the character Camille Saroyan in 'Bones'. The 'undercover' case she told here was more or less her role on that show. 😊


	7. Chapter 7

FEFO = the Far East Field Office in Japan;

SEAFO = the Southeast Asia Field Office, in Singapore;

CCU = Cyber Crime Unit

Also, 'all access', at least in this story, means that people with disabilities will have access to everything in a home. Ramps to accommodate wheelchairs, lower cabinets and countertops in kitchens and bathrooms, roll-in or barrier-free showers, grab bars and stair lifts are some examples.

* * *

Notes in the Key of Life

Chapter 7

Nine hours and 15 minutes later, the landing at the airbase in DC was just as smooth as the landing in Hawaii and Tim smiled appreciatively, thinking of some of the bumpy landings they'd had traveling to or from crime scenes both on the MCRT and with his current team.

Local time was 23:45, Eastern Daylight Time. Tim shook his head, the Hawaiian skies were just starting to lighten when they left, now it was full dark again. At least it was the same day!

Once again thanking Secretary Porter for her generosity, Lu and Tim carried their carry-on bags off the jet, descending onto tarmac well lit by flood lights. They could barely see shapes of people on the edges of the light and walked toward them. A whistle alerted them and they turned slightly, finally seeing Barry waiting in the shadows. After many hugs, he took their bags to the car and then they went inside the building to claim their luggage.

Once they had everything, they settled into the car, Tim sitting sideways in the backseat to accommodate his long legs. Barry smiled as they left the base, "I can't believe you're here! And new kids, wow! Sorry to hear about Carly, that must have been a shock."

Tim sighed, "It was, Barry, and I never thought about letting her know where I was. We parted ways when, well, the last time was when Delilah came home from Dubai and we made the decision to restart our relationship and be exclusive. It kills me I never told her about Dee's death or moving to Australia."

Lu snorted, "You had so many other things on your mind, Timmo, and you were still in shock."

"Thanks, Malu, you're right. Even though we were in San Diego for three months, I really don't remember much. Seems like a lot of chaos now."

"Emotional chaos, that's for sure."

"Looks like you two had fun in Hawaii."

Barry smiled as his friends laughed and Lu said, "Oh, we did. We saw Pearl Harbor, did a hop on and off bus tour, ate wonderful food recommended by our Uber driver, swam in the ocean for hours, snorkeled with sea turtles all by ourselves, swam in the hotel pool, had poolside drinks and then went to a luau last night. That was at the hotel so we had no worries about driving or transportation."

Tim chuckled, "Our Malu was truly a star! She was called up on stage to learn the hula with the dancers and she did a great job, we have more photos. They liked her so much she got to participate in a few other things, too. How many names and phone numbers were passed to you, Lu?"

"Timmo, there weren't that many! I think 11."

Barry whistled in appreciation. "Wow, you were the star of the evening!"

She laughed, "I did have some fun! And Tim was given names and phone numbers too!"

"Nicely done, Timmo! Are you two tired, hungry?"

"Not hungry, they fed us like royalty on the flight! I slept for a couple of hours but I've been up since dawn on the Pacific."

Tim nodded, "Me too. I feel like I've slept a lot since leaving home, most of the flight to Singapore, call it 3 ½ hours of the 5, then about 11 of the 14 hour flight to Hawaii and about 3 of the 9 hours on this flight. I don't think I slept too much at the hotel in Singapore or at home the night before. Since Thursday, I've probably slept about 22 hours, total. If we were at home and I didn't have a case, I would have had, counting Wednesday night, about 32 hours. How about you, Lu?"

"Probably about the same, plus we must have flown through every time zone on the planet. Expect us to have major jet lag, Barry!"

Tim huffed, "My agents teased me about just getting over jet lag in two-three weeks when we leave for home!"

"Sounds about right. Bill's got everything set up at his place. Tim, you'll share his room and Lu, you have the spare room. There is food in the refrigerator, Freddie and Joe took care of that and everything works in the apartment, including the wi-fi, I checked that before I left for the airfield. It's colder here than in Australia, so we brought extra blankets over, too. There are plenty of towels for the two of you and Tim, I left one of my warmer jacket you can wear until you get used to the chill."

Lu and Tim laughed at that. Bill was notorious for eating out or getting takeout most of the time, rarely was there anything edible in his refrigerator. He said it was because he never remembered to go shopping and when he did, didn't know what he already had at home. He was also absent-minded about changing light bulbs or fixing things that weren't working. He knew how, just never seemed to get around to it. He said it was because he'd lived in a tent for so long, there weren't any lights, unless you were lucky enough to own a flashlight, TVs that needed replacing or a clothes dryer that no longer dried anything. And on the job, he was always focused and organized, nearly the exact opposite of his personal life.

This late on a Sunday night, there wasn't as much traffic on the Beltway as usual and they reached Bill's place in less than an hour. They smiled as they drove up, seeing Joe's mid-size SUV parked on the street. Barry carried Lu's suitcase and Tim's carry-on while Tim carried the rest. "We decided you'd better have the largest vehicle, with the kids and all. When will you meet them?"

"Tomorrow or Tuesday, I'm not sure yet. I have meetings with Social Services and the legal firm starting late morning tomorrow. I hope to find out our court date then, so we can plan everything else."

"If you're still awake, we'd like to have dinner with you two tomorrow."

"Yay! We want to see Nate, Juanita and Big John, too and I know Lu wants to pop into the shelter."

"And the Navy Yard?"

Exiting the elevator on the third floor, they walked down the hall to Bill's apartment. Barry unlocked the door and ushered them inside as their conversation continued.

"Yes, I'll be working around my meetings. Won't use as much of my personal leave that way. Director Vance has a couple of things for me to do."

"Does he ever _not_ have special projects for you?"

Tim chuckled, "Probably, but then some of them were originally ideas I pitched to him and then he gets other ideas from those."

"Huh, how does he like you being so far away?"

Lu snorted, "He doesn't. Tim?"

"Well, it's not yet set in stone but we're coming home in April."

"Next April, less than a year away April?"

"Yes."

"Not in two years."

"Correct. This isn't classified but we hope to keep it quiet. He sent us to Perth because it's one of the most isolated cities in the world. He was protecting us from the people he was afraid had taken Gibbs."

"Wow! And did it turn out to be them?"

"Yes."

"How is Gibbs doing?"

Lu chuckled, showing them photos the grandpas sent while she and Tim were in the air. The first shots had them on the beach near their home, with Poppy sitting in a low beach chair, helping them build a sand castle and then the twins running along the sand, with Grandpa Charlie chasing them. The next photos were taken at a local playground. Poppy was pushing the twins in the swings, then Charlie and Ducky each took one of them down the big slide and then held them while they crossed the jungle gym bars. The last photo was of the five of them eating ice cream cones, with big grins and ice cream dripping down their chins.

"They've grown so much!"

"They'll be 3 in a few weeks. Hard to imagine but you know, time moves along when you're not looking."

"Are they excited about having a new sister and brother?"

"Yes. They're both happy to have another girl and boy to play with."

"Four kids under 5. I bow to you, brother!"

"Bow to Lu, brother, she's the one doing most of the work!"

"That's not true, Timothy! Jethro, Charlie and Ducky are a big help and they're all yours when you're home."

"When I'm home. Man, Barry, our cases take us far and wide and we're away for weeks at a time. It's interesting to see other countries, especially in Southeast Asia because I never thought I'd be able to travel that far, too expensive. But the time away is awful. If it weren't for Skype and FaceTime, my children would have forgotten what I look like by now!"

"Yeah, I heard you haven't been able to travel much on the weekends, either."

"No, with the distances between countries, we're essentially on call 24/7. It's been interesting and I'm thankful we had the chance to experience Australia and the Southern Hemisphere but we're all pretty happy about coming home next year."

"Will you move back into your house?"

Tim shook his head. "No, it's on the market. I'm hoping to find something in Arlington, not a bad commute and a fixer upper would be fine, Gibbs wants to handle that. He'll be fully recovered by then. Physically, anyway."

Barry winced, "That bad?"

"He was held in chains for 8 months, bolted to a wall, and tortured. He was rescued in May but it was late August before he was well enough to travel home."

"How did he survive that?"

Tim shook his head, "He's the strongest person I've ever known. A few weeks ago an old friend of his told me that after Paraguay, he said he had a family again, me, Tony, Lu, Dee and the grandkids, that he wouldn't leave us."

Lu said softly, "He says he had faith that he would be rescued, that he prayed whenever he was conscious, even while he was being tortured, and that his family knew that he loved them."

"Who, never mind, I'm sure you can't say."

"I can, that part isn't classified. It was Ziva, our former teammate."

Barry stared at him, his jaw dropped. "What the hell happened?"

"Something snapped inside her and she lost her sanity, began blaming Gibbs for everything bad that happened in her life."

"_She_ tortured him? I remember you saying he was like a father to her!"

"He was, until the first time she beat him. Then he realized this was not the Ziva we knew and loved. She's dead now."

"What about Tony and the little girl?"

"They're safe, Gibbs managed to get a text to him with a rule that says to hide the women and children and the word RUN. Luckily, he had resources in Europe and quickly went into hiding. They're coming to visit when we get home, staying through Christmas."

"Thank God!"

"Yes, we've been doing a lot of that since Gibbs came home."

"And he's really all right?"

Tim shook his head, "He has new demons. The first few weeks he was with us, we rotated sitting with him, holding his hand when he slept. That was the only way to help him get through the nightmares."

Lu smiled, "You held him in your arms like a baby, Tim."

"I did, he was so fragile, so battered and hurt. And I needed to touch him, to know he was really there, still breathing. That was 4 months after his rescue."

"That's so wrong. All of it."

"Except for his surviving and coming home, yes, it is all wrong." Tim let out a monstrous yawn and the others chuckled. Then Lu yawned and Barry smiled, "Ok, time to get to bed. Tim, you have a Cal King airbed in Bill's room. We have blankets and quilts under it and we made it up with sheets, blankets and more quilts, so you should be warm enough. Lu, you're in the spare room and your bed is also made up, you should also be warm enough. I'll leave the heat on, too."

Tim frowned, "You keep saying it's cold, but it's still September, right?"

"Late September, yes. It got colder faster this year. We've already been near freezing a couple of nights."

"I hate climate change!"

"Me too, Timmo."

Hugging each of them, Lu went to her room to do a little unpacking before she went to bed. She found Bill, or one of the others, had cleared out a drawer for her and she got as much in there as she could and hung more in the closet. Taking her still damp swimsuit, she hung it on one of the hooks on the wall of the laundry closet.

While Barry checked the thermostat, Tim changed into his sweats, adding socks, hung his trousers, suits and shirts in the closet and also found a drawer emptied for him. He'd already changed his watch and primary time zone on his phone to DC time, now he set an alarm for 11 AM, thinking he should sleep as long as possible to get through his meetings tomorrow afternoon. He also hung his swimsuit on a hook in the laundry closet. He smiled, noticing that Bill's bedroom had undergone a significant makeover. His bed, instead of being centered, was now in a corner, the bureau was on the opposite wall. That left space for the airbed.

After brushing his teeth, he said goodnight to Lu and Barry before crawling into the pile of sheets and blankets on the airbed, smiling at the comfort.

Barry waited until their lights were off before leaving, first taping a note to Bill on his bedroom door.

Bill came home about 20 minutes after Barry left, found the note and smiled, relieved that Lu and Tim arrived safely. He chuckled quietly when he looked in the refrigerator and cabinets, he had food! He hoped to have some home cooking while they were here, he knew both of them liked to cook. Tired, he took a shower, remembering to hang up his towel, and went to bed.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

Tim slept straight through to 1000, amazed he'd needed that much sleep. Still, he felt pretty good. Bill was gone but left a note. Tim made a new pot of coffee and found eggs, bacon, bread, butter and fresh fruit for breakfast.

He was just finishing scrambling the eggs when Lu popped into the kitchen. "Yum, that smells so good! What can I do?"

"I know, I'm starving. I haven't done anything with the fruit yet. If you'll do that, I'll butter the toast and then we're ready."

"Eggs, bacon, toast and coffee, you are a good son!"

Tim chuckled, "You have 7 good sons, Malu!"

"Yes, I do. The others bought groceries and blankets, Bill is hosting us and you're cooking me breakfast. What are Rob, Sarah and Geordie doing? I know Sarah's not my son but we can't leave her out!"

They laughed at that and Tim said a quick prayer for Geo's safety and maybe, possibly a visit sometime. He'd met the twins when they were infants but since then had only seen still photos. It was time for him to come home!

As neither Lu nor Tim felt like doing much of anything, they dawdled over breakfast. Eventually Tim had a shower and got dressed while Lu put the dishes in the dishwasher and had another cup of coffee before having her own shower and getting dressed. She planned to go with Tim to his Social Services meeting. While she wasn't worried that Tim would be denied the legal guardianship, she also thought it would be a good thing for everyone involved to meet another of the children's caregivers.

They drove into Baltimore for the meeting with Social Services, both a little nervous about driving on the right side after months of learning to drive on the left! Luckily, old habits die hard and within a few minutes, Tim felt confident.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

When they walked into the conference room, both relaxed at familiar faces. Tim nodded at D'arcy McKinna, the Social Services/CPS representative for NCIS aboard the Navy Yard, the DC Field Office and the Norfolk Field Office. Lu smiled at Diahann Baker, a nurse and social worker she knew from years of managing the homeless shelter.

Social Services had questions for Tim about his life as a single father as well as the two moves within 4 months, first to San Diego and then to Australia. Explaining the move to San Diego, Tim continued, saying "After Delilah died, I didn't want to return to DC, where we'd met, dated, married and where our babies were born and we lived with them. It was also the scene of the Gala attack and the car crash caused by a drunk driver. On top of that, my boss, Jethro Gibbs, was missing. Before the twins were born, I would have worked to find him, to the exclusion of almost anything else. Over the years, Gibbs has become a surrogate father to me and another of my former teammates.

"Instead, Director Vance assigned me to Perth, Australia, a promotion as I now have my own team. We live in Merriwa, a family oriented suburb of Perth. Lu is my surrogate mother, my own mother died before I was two, and first volunteered to come with us to San Diego to help care for the twins and Dee, my wife, between surgeries. That way I could work in the local NCIS office and still have an income to support us. When I received the order to transfer to Australia, she asked to come along. She cares for the twins while I'm at work, as well as their maternal grandfather, another dear friend who is a courtesy grandfather, and since late August, Gibbs, who came to live with us after his rescue. He's Poppy to my kids. He, Lu and Ducky, our friend, have been the twins' grandparents since they were born. Charlie too, my father-in-law, but he lived in Arizona and didn't see him often. So now we have a household of 4 grandparents, all of whom are wonderful with the children, like to cook and work together to maintain the house." Tim smiled, "When I'm home, I cook, clean and spend my time with Lizbet and Jace, they're amazing children who are very excited about their new brother and sister."

"When you're home?"

"My job is to investigate criminal activity perpetrated by or against Navy and Marine personnel and their families, their dependents as well as fighting terrorism. As Perth and its 355 suburbs are isolated from the rest of Australia by barren desert, what's known as the outback, we have to fly everywhere. I have a list of the Australian cities and towns where we've flown to investigate criminal cases as well as the countries of Southeast Asia we've been to. It's interesting but I'm grateful for the people who developed Skype and other video chat applications. Using those, my children and I spend time together every day I'm away.

"Having said all that, Director Vance has already given me orders for my next transfer, back to the DC Navy Yard. When I return, I'll take on a management position with teams that work in the office. I'll no longer be a field agent, overnight travel will be rare and I won't be putting my life on the line every day.

"My report month, we haven't set dates yet, is currently April of next year, although the director may move that up. Since Australia is entering spring and summer now, he's giving us a pleasant summer and early fall before we have to move back to the weather here." Tim said this with a smile so no one would take his reasoning too seriously.

After a sip of water, he added, "We've managed to do some family traveling in the region. Lu, the kids and I have been to Sydney and New Zealand on family trips. I'll take vacation during the summer and we'll take the family somewhere, probably the east coast of Australia or maybe we'll see more of New Zealand. The other countries are extremely humid in the summer."

"Worse than here?" That was Ms. McKinna.

Tim nodded, "Makes the humidity here look like the proverbial drop in the bucket."

"You said teams, is that another promotion?"

"Yes, ma'am. I'll be manager of the NCIS Cyber Crime Unit, which currently has two teams."

"And what are your plans, Ms. Morgan?"

"I'll live with them when we move home. The twins go to an excellent daycare in Merriwa and we've already started researching daycares and schools in Virginia for all four of the children. Tim lived in Silver Spring and commuted to the Navy Yard before he and Dee married and none of us want him to have that kind of commute again." She smiled, "I'm also surrogate mother to 7 others, one young woman and 6 young men. Sarah and the youngest of my boys, Tim and Sarah's brother Rob, are studying in London and Geordie, one of my older boys, is deployed in the Marines. The others live in Maryland, so we will be close. Several of them will join us in Merriwa for Christmas."

"You have a close family."

Tim beamed, "We do, yes. We're a group of orphans who grew up in the shelter Lu formerly managed and then on the streets of Baltimore. We stuck together and each of us made it out of poverty. Sarah and I are blood siblings but the others don't hold that against us."

"Where did you meet Ms. Ross?"

"At Johns Hopkins University during our first month there as freshmen. We were both 15, much younger than everyone else. We stuck together and became friends."

"And you stayed in touch?"

"Yes, ma'am, until I married. My wife wasn't comfortable with our relationship and asked me to step back from it. Carly and I were friends and as such usually only saw each other when we weren't involved with other people. We knew that when one of us married, things would change."

"So there was no ill will?"

"No. Although we did fall out of touch and that's on me. Between work and home, my life was crazy busy and I lost touch. Although she'd talked about having children on her own, I mean with a sperm donor, I didn't know she'd gone ahead with it."

"How do you feel about her asking you to take on her children?"

"If I had my way I'd take in every child without a home or parents. And I regret she didn't feel she could tell me about them or her illness. Mostly, I'm grateful and honored that she trusted me enough to ask. I hope to adopt Henry and Emma, to make them permanent members of the family. I understand Legal Guardianship ends when the child turns 18 and that's fine to start out with, but I want them to know in their bones, with no doubt, that they are loved and a permanent part of our family."

"Thank you for that. How have your children dealt with their mother's death?"

"They didn't understand what happened, why it happened. We researched as much material as we could to help them. We're a family of faith, they've known about God since they were born. We pray together and after Dee died, I told them God took her home to heaven so she wouldn't hurt anymore, she wouldn't have to be in the wheelchair anymore. They know she was hurt years ago and that the car crash made those hurts worse and the doctors couldn't fix them because God decided she'd been hurt enough. Those are my beliefs, too.

"We talk about their mommy and the things we did together, you know, fun things, not just sad things. They know she used to blow kisses on their tummies and take them to the park in their stroller, all the things Dee did with them. They have photos of her in their room. They still have bad moments but we talk about those.

"My own mother died before I was two and I have no memories of her. However, I do remember being sad and crying for someone, waking up at night, even when I was older, wanting someone I no longer remembered. While I don't want to be maudlin about it, I will make sure all the children remember their mothers. We'll celebrate their birthdays and look at photos and I'll tell them my memories of Dee and Carly."

Lu nodded, "I can help with that as I knew both women. I first met Carly shortly after Tim did."

"Thank you both for your candidness. We're agreed that you, Mr. McGee, are an excellent candidate for the legal guardianship for Henry and Emma Ross and will pass our findings to the court. And if you need any help with their adoption, let us know!"

Ms. McKinna followed them out of the room, "Tim, how is Gibbs? What happened to him?"

"He was kidnapped by a former member of our team who lost touch with reality. She kept him captive for several months, until searchers rescued him. He's home with us, his rescuers brought him to us in Merriwa. He was in bad shape when they rescued him, it was several months before he was strong enough to travel. Physically, he's recovering well. His legs were broken twice; however, he's walking more now. When he came to us he was in a wheelchair, he doesn't need that anymore although he still uses a cane, might always use it. Ducky won't let him lift either of the twins yet, I think he's allowed to lift up to 10 pounds now. He's in counseling, goes twice a week and it's helping. I really think what's helped the most is being with his family. Tony and his daughter will come for a visit when we get home from here, they're staying through Christmas."

"It wasn't Agent David, was it? Although I can't imagine Agent Bishop doing that either."

"It was Ziva David. She had a lot of tragedy in her past and something finally snapped. She was killed during the rescue."

"I'm so sorry. Poor Gibbs and the rest of you worrying about him, on top of your wife's death."

Tim nodded, "It was difficult."

"Back to DiNozzo, he has a daughter?"

"A few years ago, Ziva's family home in Israel was bombed. We were told she was dead and her young daughter was brought to Tony, who had no idea he and Ziva had a child together. She's school age now. When Gibbs was kidnapped, he managed to warn Tony to hide, although he didn't say why, so Tony and Tali were safe from her. Although Gibbs has told us it was Ziva's intention to find Tali and start her training."

"As Mossad? Oh dear."

"Yeah. We'd heard rumors it might have been Ziva at Gibbs' house the night he disappeared, Dee's accident happened the next day so I wasn't involved in the investigation. That's one of the reasons Vance sent me to Perth, it's so isolated that he figured we'd be safer there than anywhere else."

"That makes more sense now."

Tim grinned, "There was an agency reason too, the guy who had the team before me had a less than diplomatic attitude towards the Australians and everyone he met in Southeast Asia. Vance wanted him out of there and wanted someone he knew personally in the lead spot."

"Smart man to send you."

"It was tough to move to a new country, so far away from home, on top of Dee's death and Gibbs' disappearance but we managed and somehow drew the 3 grandfathers to us."

"Does your father-in-law have other family?"

"Not that he's mentioned."

They chatted a little longer while Lu caught up with her old friend. From there, they decided to take advantage of the slight lull in midday traffic and drove to Arlington, where they'd meet later with Carly's attorney. Stopping at a small café, they had a light lunch with as much caffeinated coffee and tea as they could drink and then decided to drive around to look at neighborhoods. They still had two hours before their meeting and afterward, they were meeting Bill, Barry, Freddie and Joe for dinner at their favorite diner in Silver Spring.

They drove through several neighborhoods, seeing some interesting homes, pulling the sales information sheets for every place they liked and kept driving. Turning onto what they thought would be a main street, they found themselves on a two lane road surrounded by a mix of evergreen and deciduous trees. Tim smiled, "It's beautiful!"

Lu agreed and then spotted something, "Up there, ahead on the right. Looks like a driveway and there's a sign of some sort."

Curious, they drove to the driveway and smiled at the 'For Sale' sign. Driving onto the property, Tim smiled, "This!"

"It's huge! I wonder how much land comes with it."

"What I see is enough for me. C'mon, let's peek through the windows."

They walked up the wide front steps onto the porch that covered the entire width of the front of the house and knocked on the double front door. They smiled when a man opened the door. "Hello, we saw the 'For Sale' sign and hoped to take a peek, if that's convenient."

The man smiled, inviting them in. "My wife and I bought this place in 1996. The previous owner purchased it in 1952. She and her husband spent years renovating it. Are you interested in buying or just looking at historic houses?"

Tim smiled, "Both, but right now I'm looking to buy. I'm a widower with 4 young children and four of their grandparents live with us. We're currently living overseas but I'm transferring home in a few months."

"This is home?"

"I grew up in Baltimore, lived in Silver Spring for years. However, I'll be working in DC for the Federal Government and don't want to deal with the Beltway again."

The man huffed, agreeing with that. "Come on, I'll show you the house. It's large and will take the right family. We have grown kids and several grandchildren, we bought this to accommodate all of them. However, they're scattered now and the grandkids are almost all grown. It's easier for us to go to them and we can't handle the upkeep by ourselves anymore."

Lu nodded, "I understand. I have 8 grown kids and four of them live overseas, it's difficult to find time and money for all of us to be together."

Although Tim knew this was his house the minute they walked in, he paid attention as they climbed the stairs, looking into each room. There were more bedrooms than they needed but he wasn't worried about that.

Downstairs, he was happy to find four private suites built into one side of the house. The owner explained that his parents and in-laws were alive when they bought the place and they'd built the suites for them, with two extra for guests. He and his wife lived in one of the suites now.

The living area was quite large and the foyer was ornate. Seeing Tim's look, the owner explained, "The previous owners were Navy, he was some sort of top Brass, so they entertained. When they renovated, the wife wanted the foyer to be the initial focal point as guests walked in. I don't like it much but my wife does, so we left it. As you can see, the kitchen was made for entertaining, with that huge island."

Tim nodded, "Entertaining the Brass or feeding a large family."

"Exactly."

They asked about the property and were shown around the outside, passing an add-on in the back that the owner said housed two offices and a half bath. He motioned to the property, "In total, there are eight acres, including a creek that runs through it, perfect for kids to wade in during the summer. Lots of trees for climbing and we have an enclosed flower and vegetable garden with plenty of protection against deer and rabbits." He smiled, "We grow extra and leave it for them over by the woods, nowhere near the actual garden. That's worked pretty well."

There were outbuildings, with a pool, playroom, craft room and workshop in one, and mostly storage in the others. There was also a three car garage.

"Must take a lot of upkeep."

"Not as much as you'd think. Of course, the kids were never here full-time so that would be different for you. We hire goats to keep the weeds down and use weed block fabric in the raised beds in the garden. I put a drip irrigation system in with a timer and sensor for rain so no one has to drag hoses around. We rake the leaves but put them in a compost pile so there's no bagging to be done and most of the trees close to the house are evergreen. I understand that was so they could all be lit up at Christmas time."

"Wow!" Tim looked up, "Need a cherry picker to do that now!'

"Yeah, we've never done that."

When they finished with their tour, they went back into the house to look at the large dining room, complete with pocket doors to make it smaller and to talk about prices and timing, etc. Tim winced when he heard about the property taxes but had some ideas about that. The sales price was within his reach, if he used his savings as well as Gemcity's and some of Dee's life insurance money. The money from the Gala was earmarked for the children's education and Tim had returned the rest of the money given to them when they left for San Diego last year. He thought he might even be able to do a cash sale, no mortgage or at most a 5 year mortgage.

The problem was they wouldn't be able to take possession until April. The owner paused at that. "I have an idea, but I need to discuss it with my wife. Do you have a card with your contact information? How long will you be here?"

Tim told him 2 to 3 weeks as he handed over his card, adding his cell phone number to reach him here in the States. With permission, he and Lu took many photos before they left.

As they pulled back onto the road, Lu shook her head, "That's exactly what you said you wanted. And Tim, I'd have a craft room and Gibbs would have a workshop!"

"I know, it's like it just popped into existence, just for us! If we can work out some sort of buy and rent back deal, that would be great."

"I didn't want to ask in front of the owner, but can you afford it?"

"Yes. Gemcity and Cai, my other penname, have healthy savings accounts, plus our family savings and part of Dee's life insurance money. If the Georgetown house sells anytime soon, I'll use that instead of Dee's money, I'd rather save that for the kids, although I don't suppose it matters which pocket it comes from. I'd like to pay cash but am willing to take a short mortgage, say 5 years or less."

"Whoa, I had no idea you had that kind of money! I've never known anyone who could pay cash for a house."

Tim chuckled, "I've been saving since I got my scholarship to JH. That was less than fifty dollars by the time I graduated but it was a start. Sarah, Rob, Geordie and I used to have a joint savings account, with enough money to house and feed us for a year in case of a catastrophe but we split it between us before Sarah and Rob left for the UK. So I have that in savings too. The kids have savings and I'll match what they have for Henry and Emma."

"Unless their mother left them money."

"Mmm, might handle that separately."

"You worry too much. Those kids will know without a doubt that you love them and are part of the family."

"Think so?"

"Yes, that's the way you operate, Timmo."

"Thanks, Malu."

"You're welcome son. It's the truth!"

They were at the attorney's office in less than 10 minutes. They were ushered into a comfortable conference room. Tim liked it, it was comfortable but not ostentatious, not flaunting how much money it cost to decorate. He found the attorney, Jim Walters, matched his thoughts about the room. Comfortable, professional and down to earth. No stuffiness or pretenses.

He had Carly's will with him and gave Tim and Lu copies. "Those copies only have the parts that pertain to you, Ms. Morgan or you, Mr. McGee and/or the children."

Tim nodded and then he and Lu listened while Attorney Walters told them more about the will. As Tim had been notified, Carly stipulated that he be appointed Legal Guardian of her children. Now Walters added, "She added a statement that she hoped you'd adopt them and raise them as your own."

Tim nodded, "I intend to do just that."

"Good! Now as to the children's futures, she left trust funds for each of them, to be managed by you. She also left you a sum of money for their 'upkeep', housing, feeding and clothing them throughout their childhood. She left you a letter about that." Walters handed Tim a sealed envelope with number 1 on it, followed by the word 'Upkeep'.

"You are also one of the beneficiaries of her life insurance, along with several of her friends. We notified the insurance company of your new address after you called. A check should be waiting for you by the time you return home."

Tim stopped fighting the tears, letting them flow unchecked down his face. Lu had been crying since the attorney started speaking. Tim shook his head, "I wish I'd known about her illness."

"After she discovered your wife had died, she decided not to tell you. She knew she was terminal but also knew she had some time and hoped to give you several months to mourn and adjust to your life as a single parent before you heard the news about your friend. I know she never considered anyone else for the children's care." Reaching over, he handed Tim another envelope, numbered with a 2 and the word, News.

Tim and Lu both chuckled through their tears, that was just like Carly.

"She wrote you a few more letters, mostly about the children and I'll give those to you when we finish. She also wrote letters for the children, the first ones for now, when they go to live with you and then several for the milestones in their lives. She also willed you and the kids all her photos and her belongings."

"Ms. Morgan, she left you $20,000 to 'have some fun' and you also have a letter from her." He handed Lu an envelope marked Lu Morgan.

Then he stopped, looking at Tim who was beginning to wonder where all of Carly's money came from. Yes, she made excellent money at the lab but unless she had been ultra-successful on the stock market, he didn't think it would be this much.

Walters smiled, "Wondering where this all came from?"

Tim and Lu both nodded and Walters grinned. "I love being able to tell you this. As you know, Carly escaped her abusive parents when she was 14 and found someone to sponsor her as an emancipated minor."

They nodded and he continued. "Her sponsor died a few years ago and Carly found she was one of the beneficiaries of the woman's life insurance. That's where she got the idea of dividing hers amongst her friends. That was nice but what happened was, well, I know you'll enjoy the irony.

"Her estranged parents were killed in a carjacking. Apparently, they wouldn't let the carjacker have their Mercedes and he shot them both in the head."

Tim wanted to smile but it seemed crass considering he'd just been told of two murders. Murder was murder, no matter what the victims did in their lifetimes.. Carly's parents had been physically and emotionally cruel to their only child since she could remember.

"Here's the kicker, the only will filed with the state or that anyone could find was written before Carly left home. She was an only child and they never legally disowned or disinherited her. I imagine they didn't want to risk anyone asking embarrassing questions. Neither parent had living relatives so she inherited everything. She sold the house, the Mercedes, her mother's brand new Lexus and all their possessions, including an extensive art collection, and made what she called 'pots' of money. She invested some of it and did well, liquidating it before she was too ill to manage her portfolio."

Tim finally let his smile out. "That's some sort of justice, even though I'm sure the money didn't eliminate the memories and physical reminders of their cruelty. "

Lu nodded, "It is good to know that once in a while, evil people do get their comeuppance."

"Yes, it is, isn't it? Now, that's all I have. Oops, no it's not, sorry. My paralegal did such a great job of explaining your situation to the clerks who manage the Children's Court court calendar that we have a court date this Thursday. I hope that doesn't interfere with any other plans?"

Tim laughed at that, "Considering we're here to meet Emma and Henry and the judge, no! Court is number 2 priority, right after the children."

"Excellent! Now, I've had a chat with the Social Services folks you met with earlier and I've also heard from the children's foster parents. The children, and the foster parents, would like to meet you tomorrow, Tuesday, at their home. I understand you've met them online already?"

Tim smiled, "Yes, they met me, my children and Lu. We held off on the three grandfathers as we didn't want to overwhelm them."

"Good idea since they've never had grandparents."

"Except the woman who works here in the office."

Walters grinned, leaned forward and whispered, "She's my mother. She helps out in the office when people are out on vacation or when we get crazy busy. Most of her grandkids are grown or live across the country so she's had fun helping the Ross children."

Lu smiled, "That's so sweet! Would she like to stay in touch with them? They could Skype with her. Might help them ease into our family, knowing they have a connection here." She looked at Tim who beamed at her for thinking of that.

Walters nodded, "I'll ask her."

"Thank you."

After finishing their discussion, they were given the rest of Carly's letters, Tim put everything in his briefcase, they thanked the lawyer, who would be with them on Thursday in court, and left.

Although they were tired, they were still absorbing all the information about Carly and discussed that all the way to Silver Spring and their friend Nancy's diner. Bill was already there and they laughed at finally seeing him after spending the night and morning at his place. The others joined them and they were hugged and kissed. Nancy welcomed them personally and, confessing that Bill had called ahead, brought out one of their favorite diner meals, pot roast, mashed potatoes, with sautéed carrots, broccoli, and a mixed greens salad, all served family style. The meat was tender and tasty, the potatoes had just enough butter and garlic and the vegetables were tasty and perfect, seasoned well and neither mushy nor crunchy. To Lu and Nancy's amusement, the 'boys' ate the vegetables. Tim had no problems with them, but the others usually ignored or picked at them and they always enjoyed the salads Bill made them.

After Nancy packed up the leftovers and their dessert, a large boysenberry pie, Lu turned to her boys. "We have a favor to ask. Tim and I are fighting jet lag and neither of us feels capable of driving right now. Would one of you please drive us back to Bill's place?"

Joe laughed, and held out his hand. Bill and Freddie each handed him five dollars. Joe split the money with Barry, grinning at Lu and Tim. "I'll drive, I rode over with Barry."

Freddie tilted his head, "I'll meet you at Bill's."

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

Jose woke the travelers when they reached Bill's place. "Wakey, wakey! You're home."

Helping them inside and up to Bill's apartment, he kissed Lu and hugged Tim goodnight, although it wasn't dark yet. "See you later in the week. We're having dinner at our place."

They nodded before disappearing into their rooms, collapsing onto their beds.

Tim woke about 1900, finding a text from the kids' foster mother setting the time for their meeting to 1100 at their home. He replied with a confirmation to meet Henry, Emma Tuesday morning at 11, at the foster parents' home. A return text invited them to stay for lunch, which he accepted for both of them, asking if they could bring cookies and if the children had a favorite kind of cookie. He'd spotted a tub of cookie dough in the refrigerator, the kind where you just scoop out the dough and bake it. It was sugar cookie dough which gave him several options.

The foster mom's reply said cookies would be great and named the kids' favorites. Not surprisingly, they matched Carly's favorites and Tim knew just what he'd make.

Padding out to the kitchen, he waved to Bill, who was watching TV while eating a slice of Nancy's boysenberry pie. After checking the cookie dough ingredients, Tim checked the cabinets, finding ground cinnamon and a small bag of sugar. Then he looked for a mixing bowl and found a bowl large enough. After that he searched for a cookie sheet but someone, probably whoever bought the cookie dough, remembered one was needed to bake cookies and brought one over. Or it was Bill's, which Tim doubted.

Cutting himself a generous slice of pie, Tim stuck it in the microwave for a few seconds. Pulling it out, he found a spoon and joined his friend on his couch. "Hey!"

"Hey! Have a nice nap?"

"Yeah, totally crashed. Thought Joe might have to carry us up."

"Yeah, he was a little afraid of that, too."

"You mind if I use the cookie dough in the refrigerator to make cookies for the kids?"

"There's cookie dough in the fridge? Huh, I missed that. Oh, yeah, sure, go ahead. What kind are you going to make?"

"Snickerdoodles."

"Oh man, leave me a couple, please?"

Tim chuckled, "I'll make extra for you, I won't use all the dough so I can make more later."

"Thanks, man! Love your Snickerdoodles."

"I'd make some and mail them to you, but they'd be stale crumbs before they got here. If they got here. I'll make more and freeze them before we leave."

"Yum! How long do you think you'll be here?"

"I don't know, we're just gathering information right now. Court's on Thursday, I don't know if I'll have to go back or wait for the judge's verdict to be final or what." Tim laughed, "Did we mention we found a house today?"

"A house, here? To live in here?"

"Yes. It's in Arlington, three stories including the attic. Built in the late 1700s, after the Revolutionary War. It's on what's left of a tobacco plantation, which means the original owner and probably up to the Civil War, were slave owners. If we can trace the owners' names, we'll put up a memorial plaque for the slaves that were forced to live and work there. There are 8 acres with the house and a few outbuildings, including a big garage, and a building with an indoor pool, a playroom, a craft room and a workshop."

"All of you will love the pool and Lu has always wanted a craft room. Who is the workshop for?"

"Gibbs."

"Right, I forgot about his boats and kids' toys. Are you really considering this? Place must cost a fortune!"

"Yes, I'm considering this. I've been sitting on all the money from my books since I first started. My only real splurge was leasing the Porsche." He sighed, "I still miss that car."

"Yeah, we all do."

"Anyway, I have enough to buy the place. The kicker is that we won't be here until April. The owner said he had an idea he'd discuss with his wife and let me know."

"Cool!"

Thinking about that, Tim finished his delicious boysenberry pie slice before disappearing into Bills room to retrieve his laptop. Then he sat at the kitchen table and first looked at his savings accounts to refresh his memory as to the exact amounts he had. Then he Googled what kind of discount to expect for paying cash for a house. From there, he looked on the county government's website for what public information he could find about the house and property. Sure enough, there had been slave owners there. Following a link, he saw what other owners of former slave plantations had done to memorialize the people who'd been forced to live and work there. He bookmarked that site; he couldn't afford to do it right way but he liked the idea, a way of honoring those folks and maybe helping some of their descendants put names on their family trees. He especially liked that as his own family tree was mostly blank.

To his surprise, he also found a redacted copy of the last home inspection done when the current owners purchased it. He thought the owners' names were what was redacted as he didn't see the name of the man they met today. The house was in good shape after some structural work was done in the 50's and 60's, including a new foundation and chimneys. An extensive refit of the plumbing and rewiring the entire house had taken place in 2010, with an inspection of all the wiring and new wiring added five years later. Tim thought the new wiring might be for the craft room, workshop or maybe the offices in back of the house. The fireboxes, there were three fireplaces, had been replaced less than 10 years ago. Windows were replaced 10 years ago, that must have cost a fortune as there were two to four windows in each bedroom, as well as two huge picture windows in the living room with four smaller ones in the dining room.

He scanned through the information, pleased with what he saw. Then he started writing an email, copying Lu, to Poppy, Ducky and Charlie. Looking at the time, he woke Lu and they Skyped with the twins and their grandfathers, Uncle Bill joining them to say hello. 7:30 PM here meant it was Tuesday at 8:30 AM there and the twins were getting ready for daycare. They reported that there was a new girl there that they liked and who looked like them, although she talked funny. Charlie added that English was not her first language.

After the kids chattered, the grandpas added their two cents, mostly asking questions about the meetings that day. Tim grinned, "Social Services went fine and they've approved me as Legal Guardian. We have a lot to tell you about Carly and her will but it'll keep. Now, I'm writing you an email and I don't want you to think we've both lost our minds. In light of what we learned at the attorney's office today, it's doable. Not going to tell you what, you'll have to read the email and let yourself absorb it before you react. Ducky?"

"Yes, I'll monitor them, Timothy, if that's what you meant."

"Don't let them send anything before they'd thought about things for a few hours."

"Will do. Am I not likely to react as strongly then?"

"Not sure but I know you have an even temper. Gibbs doesn't always and I don't know about Charlie."

Charlie huffed, "Well, I am good at chewing on my foot and making apologies, if that tells you anything."

Gibbs just winked at him, as good a promise not to overreact as Tim had ever had from the man and he smiled. Once all the news and kibitzing was finished, they set their next call for the same time the following day and disconnected.

Tim took a deep breath, shaking his head, "Lu, do we care that much about staying in Merriwa through the summer?"

"Huh, good question. Think of DC winters and moving here during one."

"Yes, but think of me being away for weeks at a time and you with four kids, two of whom barely know you."

"I see your point. Is there anything you can do about that?"

"I only have one idea but I need to find a way it would benefit the agency."

"Tell me!"

He told her and they talked about it, pulling Bill in with them. He asked a few questions and their discussions gave Tim what he needed to make the pitch to Vance.

As he was wide awake now, Tim returned to the kitchen to pull the cookie dough out of the 'fridge, to give it time to soften. He stopped when he found the tub already on the counter. Shaking his head, he opened the lid, deciding it could use another 15 minutes before he got started. After assembling everything else, he went back to his email about the house, had Lu and Bill read it, took out a few things and added others before sending it.

After that, he did some research and then wrote his pitch to Vance. He had a meeting scheduled with him in the afternoon after lunch with Henry and Emma. On their way to meet Henry and Emma tomorrow morning, they'd stop to pick up a rental vehicle Tim had reserved so that Lu could have the SUV for the afternoon. He'd keep the rental for a few days, maybe through the weekend, unless they were on their way home by then. He shook his head, there were too many things tumbling around in his brain!

He and Lu had fun making the cookies, keeping Bill away from them. When the first batch was finally out of the oven and cooled, a few were put aside for him while the rest were placed on a paper plate and carefully wrapped.

While the next batch was in the oven, Tim inspected his casual clothes to make sure they weren't too wrinkled. He was surprised when Bill handed him a spray bottle of something called "Wrinkle Release" . "Here, works for just about everything."

After reading the directions, Tim sprayed his shirt and trousers, worked the fabric with his hands for a few minutes and then left them to dry and hopefully lose the wrinkles.

When they were through baking cookies, putting some in plastic bags for each of the Baltimore boys, Tim cleaned up the kitchen and went to bed.

He woke when Bill got up at 7:00 but stayed in his comfy and warm bed for another half hour. Then he forced himself to get up. They needed to leave here at…oh, he'd forgotten that the kids' foster parents lived in Baltimore. He wouldn't have to tackle the Beltway until early afternoon. He'd probably follow the same pattern on Wednesday, visit the children in the morning, maybe take them to a park nearby if everyone agreed or the foster mom was available, then head into the office in the afternoon.

Thursday, his court appointment was at 8:30 in Baltimore. He had no idea how long that would take and hadn't planned anything else.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

He and Lu left the apartment about 10:10 to pick up the rental car. Lu took the cookies, not quite trusting Tim with them, even if they were for his new children. Tim was driving off the rental lot by 10:30 and the two of them met again in front of the foster parents' home at 3 minutes to 11:00.

When Tim rang the doorbell, he and Lu grinned at each other as they heard a little voice crying, "Door!"

Mrs. Day, opened the front door, with Emma peeking from behind her legs. Tim smiled, "Mrs. Day? I'm Tim McGee and this is my mother, Lu Morgan."

Emma heard the names and was nearly vibrating with excitement, "Henry, Uncle Tim, Grama Lu!"

With a grin, Mrs. Day motioned them in. Lu discreetly handed her the box of cookies and the woman's eyes lit up, she loved freshly baked cookies too. Emma moved toward them, "Unca Tim, Grama!"

"Hi Emma, it's good to meet you!"

She held her arms out to be picked up and after checking with Mrs. Day, Tim swept the little girl into his arms. "I'm so happy to meet you in person!"

The toddler kissed his cheek and then leaned over to kiss her new Grama. Lu smiled, "Hi, sweetheart. I'm your Grama Lu."

Hearing a giggle from across the room, Tim turned and smiled at little Henry. He put Emma down carefully, taking her hand to walk over to her brother. Tim squatted in front of the little boy. "Hi Henry, I'm Uncle Tim."

Henry held his hand out for a shake saying, "I'm Henry Timothy Ross. I have one of the same names as you."

"That's great, I like sharing my name. This is your new grandmother."

Lu held out her hand for a shake, "Hi, Henry, I'm Grama Lu."

He hugged Tim's leg, while Emma asked Lu to pick her up.

Tim asked about his pre-kindergarten classes and Henry told them how much fun they were and how he knew his alphybet, could spell his name and count to a 100.

Emma said she liked daycare, she played with her friends.

While Mrs. Day put their lunch together, the two children took their new adults to their room to show them all their toys and books. Henry looked at one of the books, "That was one of Mommy's favorites. Uncle Tim, did you know my mommy?"

"I did, Henry, she was one of my best friends. I miss her and I bet you do too."

He nodded, his lower lip trembling. Tim sat on the floor, wrapping his arms around the little boy while he cried. Then Henry sat up, "You smell good, like cookies!" He looked at Lu, "You do, too!"

She smiled, "We brought you fresh baked cookies, Henry, for treats after lunch."

"Oh boy, cookies!" He and Emma danced around a little bit. When Mrs. Day came to tell them lunch was ready, the children took Tim and Lu's hands. Lunch was simple and after the children ate theirs, they were allowed a cookie each and were satisfied with that.

Tim and Lu played with the children in the living room until Mrs. Day said it was time for Emma's nap. She insisted that Uncle Tim carry her into the bedroom and then only wanted him to change her diaper. He had her cleaned up in no time while Lu entertained her.

Tim and Lu told her they had to go before she woke up, but they would be back in the morning. That was all right although she fussed a little when she was put in her crib. When she was reminded that she could have another cookie later if she slept now., she laid down and with a determined look snapped her eyes shut.

Out in the living room, Tim told Henry that they had to leave, that he had to go to work but would come back to see him the next morning, Wednesday. The little boy nodded wisely, "Big people have to go to work all day. I don't think it's fun like school. Can we go to the park tomorrow? It has swings and it's fun!"

Mrs. Day smiled so Tim said yes, saying, "How about we bring a picnic lunch with us? Then we can stay and eat and play some more, until it's time for Emma's nap."

"A picinic lunch, yay! Oh boy, that will be fun!"

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

Leaving the Days' home, Lu and Tim went their separate ways. Lu wanted to visit some of her friends while Tim was headed for the Navy Yard, to see friends and meet with the director. He'd have an early dinner with Kasie, Jimmy and Breena and would meet Lu and Bill at the apartment that evening.

Tim drove to the Navy Yard thinking about Carly and her children. He'd already fallen in love with the kids and knew they'd be fine with his two. He was glad things had gone well and they would spend more time together tomorrow. He wondered if he was made their Legal Guardian on Thursday, would he have custody right away? Where would they stay? With a smile, he remembered that Gibbs gave him the key to his house, saying they could stay there or to call Fornell, they could stay at his place. Tim knew Gibbs' house had been repaired and that someone had been staying there, but he didn't remember who Gibbs said. He'd ask at the office today. Then he smiled, the Palmers were living in Ducky's townhouse, which had several bedrooms, maybe they could stay with them. That might be easier. He decided to worry about it later.

Passing through the gate, he went in through Security hoping to see Henry but a security officer he didn't know checked him through. He was offered an escort but allowed to go on his own since he was an NCIS agent. He punched the button and the elevator and then smiled when the doors opened and Jimmy popped out, grinning at him. "Yay, you're here!" They hugged and then took the elevator up to the Mezzanine. Jimmy stayed on to go down again while Tim exited and started walking across the catwalk. It felt odd to be here without Gibbs, even knowing he was at home, safe and almost sound again. He glanced down at their old bullpen and saw Nick Torres watching him. They grinned at each other and Nick gave him a little salute. That felt better, now he felt like he was home.

When he entered the Director's suite, Pam beamed, asking if she could hug him. He nodded, giving her a little hug back. Waved into the inner office, Tim stepped in and then stopped. Vance stood up from his desk, "Close the doors." Tim turned to close them and then almost squeaked when he found Vance right behind him. The man looked at him, "May I hug you?"

Surprised, Tim nodded and then did squeak a little when Vance gave him a strong hug. He hugged back, blinking away moisture in his eyes. He managed to say, "Thank you, sir. It's good to be home."

"Glad to hear you're not in love with Australia. I know it's a fine country."

Tim smiled, suddenly tired. "It is, but it's not home. Director, I have an idea if you have time?"

"Yes, but let me get you some coffee first."

"Ok." Tim took the cup and drank it down in two gulps. "Thanks, I hope the caffeine kicks in soon!"

"Let's talk, then you can take a nap."

Tim thought he should probably argue about that but he really wanted to make his pitch before he fell asleep.

"Sir, you mentioned Cyber Crimes and the Field are having a tough time working together. You said London and here. The statistics for FEFO and SEAFO are pretty low as far as cases shared between the CCUs and the Field Teams. What I'd like to do before I come home is to take that on as a special assignment, to determine just where the communication breakdowns are and then work with the CCUs and Field Teams in FEFO and SEAFO. I'll start with our Perth team, working with Singapore's CCU over Skype without having to travel, do some training separately with each group and then both groups together, so we can up those stats, and I'll have a better idea about training. Then I can hit the ground running in April."

Vance looked at him for so long, Tim was sure he was going to say no. "You want out of the field now. But you don't want to move until April."

"Yes, sir. As for my leaving the field earlier than planned, I realized I can't just take Henry and Emma home to Merriwa, where the only people they know at the moment are Lu and me and then within days of our arrival tell them I'm leaving on a case and I don't know when I'll be back, or worse, I won't have time to get home to tell them and I'm a voice on the phone for a week or more.

"I hadn't thought about it, but the twins are already used to me being away, it's been that way since they were infants, although here it was never for more than a few days at a time. I've also come to the conclusion that Henry and Emma should have a few months with all of us, to feel part of the family, before we uproot ourselves again. I should have said this before but everything happened so fast. Took the flights and some beach time to get through my brain.

"Since I'm already overseas, I think it would be more efficient to start with the offices I'm currently working with. Having said all that, Lu and I found a house in Arlington that I want to buy but we're hoping the current owners will either take it off the market until we return or rent it back from us until we move. But yes, along with me wanting to leave the field and be with my children as much as possible, Lu, Gibbs and I would prefer to skip the upcoming DC winter. I don't know how Gibbs would do. The cold just knocks him back. And the cold temperatures in Western Australia are in the 60s! Right now, as the weather warms up in the Spring, he says he can feel his bones warming up. Ducky says that in another year, he'll be fully recovered and the snow and cold won't bother him as much."

Vance nodded. "All right. You've made some good points and I like your plan of attack. Is there enough room in the Perth office for another desk?"

Tim nodded, "There's an unoccupied one there already."

"Good! Then when you return, you can take that one and I'll have a chat with Yates. Do you know when Wilson's new position is supposed to be open?"

"I believe Agent Yates said a month, sir."

"Ok, that helps, he can remain in Perth until his spot opens, or he can stay in Perth if he wants your spot. Do you know if he liked it there?"

"He did, sir. The problem is not his health. When he was there in January, his family was with him."

"And Perth was all right for whoever is ill?"

"I believe so. For the record, so is much of Australia and New Zealand is clean too, if they should want to travel."

"Good thinking. Wilson wouldn't have a problem traveling in SE Asia?"

"I don't think so."

"All right, this is good, Tim. Obviously we need to do something for our agents in Manila, maybe move them to a less polluted island. Is it the worst location?"

"I don't know, sir, but I'd be happy to do some checking."

"Thanks, yes. Check out the Philippines and well, all of our offices if you would. I know China has big problems but I don't know about South Korea or any of the sub-offices."

"So all of our Asian and Australasian offices."

"Yes, but first, let me talk with Yates and Owens at FEFO. They may already be doing something. For now, yes to your plan for the CCUs and Field Teams but you are still coming home in April!"

"Agreed, sir and thank you!"

"In back of Pam's workspace, there's a conference room with a sofa. Get some sleep, take a few hours."

Tim nodded with a smile, sketched a little salute much to Vance's amusement, disappearing through the door. The director heard the door to the conference room as it opened and then closed.

Tim flipped the lights on and looked blearily around, smiling when he saw the long, comfy looking sofa. Pam told him to look in the credenza drawers for blankets and, finding those and a pillow, he kicked his shoes off, set his watch alarm for three hours, stretched out on the sofa with the blankets over him and closed his eyes.


	8. Chapter 8

For those of you waiting for 'The Common Thread', to resume, a new chapter will be posted within the next week.

* * *

Notes in the Key of Life

Chapter 8

When Tim woke, he decided to wash up and walked toward the suite doors, only to be stopped by Pam. "You can use the director's restroom, if that's where you were headed. He's offsite for a meeting. Also, use the conference room to work in if you'd like, he mentioned you might want to. One more thing, he has not yet contacted SSAICs Yates or Owens."

Tim nodded, "Thanks for all of that!"

On his return from the restroom, he set up his laptop and sent an email to Yates that after he'd met his 'new' children that morning, he'd come to the decision to leave the field, citing the reasons he'd told Vance and adding a copy of his proposal to Vance. There was no use hiding the fact that he'd pitched it to Vance and not his own boss first. He also included a disclaimer about his confused brain and an apology for seemingly going over her head or behind her back. He hadn't meant any disrespect!

Then he got to work reviewing the air pollution stats in the Asian and Australasian cities housing NCIS offices. When he had that, he ran the same stats for European and U.S. cities with NCIS offices. Putting his results into a chart, he sent it to Vance with a second email going to Yates, explaining what the director had asked him to do.

He was starting to outline his training plan when his cell chimed with a call. Tim smiled at the caller ID, it was the owner of the Arlington property. He answered the call, "Hello, this is Tim McGee."

"Mr. McGee, this is Doug Hauser, owner of the house you and your mom toured the other day. Are you still interested?"

"Absolutely, Mr. Hauser."

"Good! My wife and I have discussed how to handle your April arrival and have a proposal. We'd like to proceed with the sale now and then rent the place back from you until you return from overseas."

"That's a great idea, sir. I hoped that would be an option." Thinking rapidly, Tim realized there were a couple of financial situations that had to be negotiated, the rent and the cash sales price.

"Let's do this, I'm tied up tomorrow morning, I don't know how long I'll be. Would tomorrow afternoon work for you to meet? We'll need to figure out the rent. And I'll be paying cash, so we'll figure out that out and then I'll need a couple of hours to transfer funds."

"Cash? That's great! Have you consulted a realtor at all?"

"Not yet, although I do have a real estate agent who is working to sell our house here, that is the house my late wife and I owned. I'll talk with her before we meet, she'll probably come with me."

"Good, that's what I was going to suggest. My wife still has her realtor's license, so she'll represent us. Also, we have spreadsheets with the annual costs, property taxes, utilities and routine maintenance. I've kept a running list of items needing maintaining and when they've last been done and when they'll next need it. Things like the windows, the plumbing, the air filters, the pool equipment. I forgot to tell you the pool is salt water, which means no harsh chemicals need to be added. The filters still need cleaning though."

"Thanks, all this is good to know."

"All right, oh, I'd better check our calendar for Thursday. Huh, we have a dinner tomorrow night, can you make it Friday afternoon instead?"

"Yes, that's fine, say at 4:00 PM? I'll be in Maryland in the morning and early afternoon; I'll have to brave the Beltway."

"On a Friday afternoon? Let me see if we can reschedule our dinner. I'll call you as soon as I know."

They disconnected and Tim called Annie O'Brien, his real estate agent and wife of his friend, Special Agent Jim O'Brien, one of the team leaders here at the Navy Yard.

When Annie answered, she sounded puzzled, "Hi Tim! Are you psychic?"

"Not that I know of, why?"

"Because I have had 3 offers on your house today, two of them are cash and I have my phone in my hand, about to call you."

"Awesome! And I'm calling you because I found a house in Arlington that I want to buy, for cash."

"Wow. Arlington? Where are you?"

"At the Navy Yard. I guess I haven't told everyone." He quickly told her about Henry and Emma. "Lu and I arrived Sunday night and I have a court date tomorrow morning to be legally approved as the kids' guardians."

"Those kids are lucky to have you, but your life makes me a bit dizzy!"

Tim laughed, "I understand, believe me. But I don't want this house to slip through my hands, I love the place and it's in good shape, I read the reports on the county website. Plus the owner has lists of what he's done, with receipts, and an overall maintenance list."

"He knows you're paying cash?"

"Yes, does that save them any money?"

"It saves them from worrying about your loan being denied or having to wait for escrow to close. It saves you from all the interest paid on a mortgage. What you won't get is a tax deduction for the house."

"As I'll have four little tax credits for the next 15 plus years, I guess I won't worry about deductions for a mortgage. Back to the purchase, will you please represent me and are you available either Thursday afternoon or Friday afternoon?"

"Yes to both times and yes of course I'll rep you. Now, we do need to meet to discuss these offers, I'd like to get them moving while you're here."

Tim chuckled, "I don't know when we're going home yet. If everything goes well tomorrow morning, I want to take Lu, Henry and Emma somewhere fun to celebrate. Then I think we'll need to get their stuff from their foster parents' home."

"Where are you staying?"

"At my friend Bill's right now. Haven't decided where we'll stay if the kids are released to my custody tomorrow. Probably with the Palmers', they have extra bedrooms and they're in Georgetown."

"That sounds good. If that doesn't work, we have three extra bedrooms now that the last of our kids has moved out, you can stay with us."

"Thank you! You know, may I say yes now instead of the Palmers? I'm afraid to flood them with all of us."

"Of course! Is the little one in a crib?"

"No. she's transitioned to a toddler bed. I've already ordered one, although it's being shipped to our home in Australia. It hadn't occurred to me that I might be given custody right away!"

"Don't worry, we'll figure something out."

"The Palmers are loaning us a portable high chair and stroller for her until I can buy them and I have a changing pad I brought with me that traveled with us before the twins were potty-trained."

"Good, sounds like you'll have almost everything you need."

"Thank you so much, Annie!"

"You're welcome! Jim and I will be happy to spend some extra time with you, Lu and the children! And we can go over the offers tomorrow night, after the kids are asleep."

"Great, all right, I'll let you know after we're out of court. Uh, here's the address in Arlington. The wife is a realtor, retired but still has her license."

"That works. Two things before we disconnect. Have you thought about having an inspection of the Arlington property and about the rent you'll want from your new tenants?"

Tim approved the inspection, which Annie would set up and then relayed his questions about what should be considered in arriving at a fair rent. After answering his questions, they came to what they believed was a fair amount for the owners who would be tenants once the sale was final, in about 10 days. Tim had another question, about titles and liens and Annie set him straight on that, too.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

After the call with his real estate agent and friend, Tim sent a text to Lu about the house and where they'd be staying if he was given custody before they left for home. He sent another text to Bill, also telling him about post-custody arrangements.

Then he sent an email home to the three grandfathers, telling them the deal for the house looked good, that he had cash offers for the Georgetown house and was a little nervous about his court date in the morning. He added that if he was given custody, he, Lu and the kids would be staying with the O'Briens until they left for home.

Jimmy texted him that he'd be ready in about 40 minutes, so Tim packed up his laptop, put the blankets and pillow back in the credenza, threw out his trash, thanked Pam and went down to the squad room to say hello to old friends and colleagues.

He smiled as he was warmly greeted by Natalie, Rick Carter, Agent Sloane and Nick Torres. All four hugged him and he hugged back, wishing Boss was with him. Others joined them and Tim spent some time saying hello. After asking about the children, Gibbs' health was the next question and Tim showed them the latest photos, sent over the past few days. That gave everyone a better idea of Gibbs' recovery and Tim saw a lot of relieved smiles. Jim O'Brien joined the crowd, teasing Tim. "I understand you, your mom and your new kids will be living with us."

Tim chuckled, "Yes, if and when I'm given custody. We're staying with a friend in a small 2 bedroom apartment right now, there's no room for 2 more beds!"

More folks had wandered over and now Tim realized that the news about more children wasn't known to everyone, so he briefly explained. He was glad to see everyone, Evan Fuller, Bob Chalmers, Race Piro, Nick, of course, Jim, Natalie and Rick as well as Delores Bromstead and Nikki Jardine, who joined the crowd. Nick introduced him to Maggie Barnes, the new Team Lead for the MCRT and a Marine Commander now in the reserves.

Finally excusing himself, he made his way to the lab to say hello to Kasie, glad they'd be spending more time together at the Palmers.

When he said so, she smiled, "I knew I'd never get a chance to say more than hello, not with that mob upstairs. Just keep your fingers crossed that Jimmy and I don't catch a case!"

Jimmy joined them in the lab, he was ready to go. Kasie had already shut down so the three of them left, through the evidence garage. Otherwise, Kasie and Jimmy figured it would take them another hour to wade through Tim's admirers. As it was, there were a few people in the evidence garage who were surprised to see Tim and he stopped to say hello.

Finally they reached their vehicles and the three of them drove off the Yard toward Georgetown and the Palmer-Mallard residence.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

While the next few days weren't exactly chaotic, they were full of activity. Looking back, Tim thought the last time he'd had time to sit for more than a few minutes was at dinner with Kasie at the Palmers' Wednesday night. That dinner was fun as they relaxed, told old stories and teased each other. Kasie told some new stories that had Tim laughing so hard he was holding his sides and with a smirk, Breena sent the video she'd taken of the whole thing to Ducky.

Breena had also heard from Abby and told Tim that she and her brother Kyle had found their birth mother's address and traveled to it, only to find she was away for a month. She was an artist, a painter who worked mostly in oils. She had favorite areas of Europe that she would visit each season and that's where she was. Abby and Kyle rented rooms in the town she lived in and were becoming acquainted with it while they waited for their mother to return.

Tim fell into bed that night, he'd nearly had to hold his eyelids open as he drove from Georgetown back to Bill's place. Keeping the windows open and the music loud, he made it back without incident. He felt a little more prepared for the children as he'd brought back the stroller and portable high chair on loan from the Palmers.

His court appearance was apparently only a formality as the judge approved him almost as soon as she appeared in court Thursday morning. They set Saturday for transfer of custody and the judge asked that he and the children remain in the U.S. for an additional 14 days from the day he assumed custody, to allow the records to be updated and the children's passports to be changed. Tim was grateful they even had passports!

While he wasn't thrilled about staying away from Jace, Lizbet and their grandfathers another two weeks, it would give Henry and Emma more time to get to know their new daddy and grandmother.

As they walked out of the courthouse, Carly's attorney caught up with Tim. "Tim, wait up!"

When Tim stopped his group, the man handed him an envelope. "Carly's estate is paying for your expenses, including your flights to and from your home. Sorry for the delay but I had to figure out what to do about your trip over. The money that's there pays for your layover in Hawaii and for a longer layover on your way home from here as well as your expenses for the next 14 days. I understand you're staying with friends, now you can pay them for utilities and food. Whatever you want to do, it's yours. The rest of the funds are in a separate bank account, available to you now and to the children when they turn 18."

Tim looked at the envelope and nodded, tucking it into the inside pocket of his suit jacket. Holding out his hand, he thanked the attorney for his help. "You've been a welcome resource for me, I sure appreciate everything! You and your mom should come to Australia!"

The other man laughed as he said goodbye to the kids, Tim and his family. He'd been happy to see the number of people there to support Agent McGee, including the head of the agency Tim worked for as well as his chosen brothers, one in a police uniform, his mother and a few people in suits that the attorney thought might be work friends as they all looked like federal agents and cops.

After court, Tim and Lu treated Henry and Emma a trip to an indoor water park, joined by their new Uncle Barry, who changed out of his uniform before driving to the water park. Henry was a strong swimmer while Emma knew how to float, hold her breath, move her arms and legs. They took them on a raft ride down the 'rapids', played in the waves, Tim took Henry down a slide while Emma rode a 'seahorse' in a pool with enough waves to seem ocean-y. All five of them played in a large shallow pool together. They had lunch there and then played some more, only leaving when it was almost time for Emma's nap. While they were still at the water park, Tim told the children that he was now their daddy, they could call him that or dad, whichever they liked. Both kids were happy, giving him some love and calling him daddy. They knew about their new brother and sister, too, and would talk with them again on Saturday.

Before Barry took off, Tim handed him an envelope with some of the money from Carly's estate. Barry would handle paying back everyone's share of groceries and other items they'd either purchased or provided for Lu and Tim while staying at Bill's.

Taking the children back to the Days and leaving them there was tough but the children were happy, knowing they'd be living with their daddy and grama in a couple of days. It helped that they were comfortable with their foster parents.

That afternoon, Lu accompanied Tim as he returned to DC and Virginia to review the offers on the Georgetown house, formerly the home of Tim, Delilah and their babies. From there, they'd continue drive to Arlington to purchase the colonial house and property.

When Annie greeted them at her office, she had a surprise, there were two more offers on the Georgetown house, both cash. Although Tim thought of letting things go another day to see if there were more offers, he decided not to be greedy. After looking at all the offers, he pulled the cash offers aside. In the interest of buying his new home for cash and as quickly as possible, these were the offers he'd consider.

In the end, and with Lu's input, he selected one of the offers that had an accompanying note with it. Annie had already pulled the people's financials to make sure they had the money. She informed the others that while their credit was good, they paid their bills on time, this would be a stretch for the buyer, who said he was nearly desperate for 'all access' housing for his young son who would require a lot of medical care over the next few years.

Accepting their offer, which was thousands over the asking price, Tim put in a few conditions, that he pay the buyer's closing costs for the buyer's mortgage, that he also pay the property taxes for the latter half of the current year and all of the following year and also deducted a sum of money from the sales price that Annie said was reasonable for any repairs or changes they'd need to make for the access elements of the house. Tim also wrote a note, telling the buyers a little of his circumstances and, including Gibbs' contact information, offered his father's expertise should they ever need help repairing or changing any of the 'access elements'. He also asked Annie to word the contract so they could move in at the end of the month, only paying $1.00 in rent to make it legal, although they would need to put the utilities in their name, even if escrow hadn't yet closed.

Annie had the contract done, printed and Tim signed and initialed several pages before they left for the Arlington house to wrap that up. Tim already had a cashier's check for the agreed upon price; he felt like he was carrying the Royal Jewels or something equally as valuable.

That contract was already prepared and Tim handed the Hausers the cashier's check. Mrs. Hauser made copies, her eyes twinkling. After everything was dated, signed and initialed, Annie brought out the rental agreement. Laughing, the Hausers signed that, Mrs. Hauser saying it would take them until April to sort through everything. When asked where they were thinking of moving, the couple said they'd considered Florida but that hurricane season was troublesome enough up here, they didn't want to deal with it. Two of their children and their families lived on the West Coast and they thought they'd look for something in Oregon. Mrs. Hauser smiled, "That way, we'll still have some snow to remind us of home." Mr. Hauser did not look overly happy about that.

Having gained two children, played at the water park, sold a house and bought another all in the space of one day, Tim was tired and Lu drove them home to Bill's, glad the traffic was at least moving.

Friday, Tim did not go into the Navy Yard. He'd heard back from Cassie who was supportive of him leaving the field, reminding him that she and Mitch hadn't started their family until she was out of the field. She teased him about his talk with Vance, so Tim knew that was all right. She also said that Wilson had accepted Tim's job, that he and his wife were excited about staying in Australia and were looking for housing in the suburbs. Tim was glad that worked out well and that he'd let Hannah, Ty and Glynee know what was going on, they'd exchanged a few emails, talking about it.

When he'd raised the topic with Vance, he'd been thinking things would start to happen when he got home, but it made sense to make the change now. And he was relieved to be told he would still have the rank and title of SAIC, although he wasn't sure yet who or what he was in charge of.

Friday night, Freddie and Jose had the whole group over for dinner at their place. It was a two bedroom apartment that they'd first rented when they finally believed their business would continue to prosper. Before that, they'd lived in rooms at the garage they rented for their tools and the van.

While they were at dinner that night, the two, best friends since they met in primary school, announced that one of them had rented his own place and would be moving out. Heads all turned toward Joe. Except when he was working or with his family as he was tonight, Freddie was very shy and insecure as well as a creature of habit. Tim doubted he'd ever move from this apartment. And that was fine, this was home to him. Tim was proud of him for consenting to live alone.

The group spent the next few minutes asking Joe about his new place and making sure Freddie was ok with the change. They all relaxed when the two men finally grinned, admitting that while Joe was moving, it was to his own apartment in the same building, on the same floor as this apartment. The two laughed at the groans from the others. In truth, they were proud of both men, this was a big step to take, no matter how close Joe would be.

Bill and Barry announced they would be joining the Australian based family for Christmas. Freddie and Jose looked at each other, and Joe said, "We might come, we're still discussing it. All four of us have passports now. We employ plumbers who can cover the usual holiday emergencies, we're just trying to figure out the time, cost and all that. And really, the day after Thanksgiving is our busiest day of the year, we'll be here for that."

Prudently, Tim left any persuasion tactics to Lu who had a much better shot at success than he did. She was their mom, after all.

Lu did a good job of convincing them to come while Tim quietly looked for the least expensive air fare. When Freddie finally agreed, everyone cheered. Tim waited and then handed his phone, with a display for round trip airfare for 2, to Perth, Australia. Joe's face lit up, "That's a lot less expensive than we thought! How'd we miss it?"

Tim smiled, "I have frequent flier miles on that airline, from my Gemcity book tours. I applied those to the overall price." He looked at Bill and Barry, "I have more, I can apply them to your flight, too."

"Only if that's your Christmas present for the four of us."

"All right, if that's what you'd like."

Taking his phone back, Tim set up another round trip for Bill and Barry, on the same day and the same flight. He cleared his throat, "It's a very long flight. What we did going over the first time was choose a flight with one stop in a fun place. This stops at the same place. We stayed a few days, on the beach. Or you can set up your layover for the way home."

Lu smiled, "That's my Christmas present to you, your food, transportation and lodging on your layover."

Barry asked how that worked and they explained. Tim hadn't purchased the tickets yet, so once they all agreed, he set it up so they had a two day layover on the way over and another two days on the way back. When he pulled out his Gemcity card to pay for it, Lu made a noise and he shook his head, "This is just the flights, Malu. We'll set up the beach stuff next, I promise to let you pay!"

When they got back to Bill's that night, Tim went online to purchase airbeds, a California King for Bill, a queen for Barry and doubles for Joe and Freddie. He was happy when he found coupons for the site he ordered from, saving nearly the cost of one airbed, and shipped them to the office which gave him a delivery date 10 days earlier than shipping to the house. He just shook his head at that.

He and Lu packed that night before turning in as Saturday was moving day. Bill would help them with his truck while Tim had upgraded his rental to a SUV. They'd returned Joe's SUV to him on Friday as neither Tim nor Lu felt right about keeping it for another 2 weeks!

They'd pack the rental first and then the three of them would drive to the Days' home to pick up Henry and Emma. The Days were loaning them the toddler bed for the next two weeks. It would go in the back of the truck along with other children's items the Days said they would no longer need.

Earlier in the week, Lu shopped online for the children, purchasing swimsuits with UV/UVA protection, flotation devices, water shoes and sandals, other clothing with UV/UVA protection and several pairs of shorts for both children. She also ordered a couple of sundresses for Emma and matching ones for Lizbet and Tali. That would be fun, to have all three girls in matching dresses at least once! She had almost everything shipped home, having the swim gear, including the hats and water shoes, shipped to the O'Briens. When she told Tim, he grinned and then said he'd better warn Tony about sun protection.

When he texted DiNozzo, asking for a video chat, his phone pinged. "Did you just send me a text? My phone dinged just as I hit the call button."

"Wow, great minds."

"Very true. Is everything all right?"

Tim gave him a quick rundown of everything going on and then smiled, "My excuse to call you was to warn you about buying protective clothing for you and Tali. We wear UV/UVA protected clothing, sunscreen and sun hats year round."

Tony grinned, "Well, having spent some time in the desert, that won't be a problem, although we will be very happy to have an ocean to go along with the sand."

"So you were in Saudi Arabia?"

"Part of the time but not always. We spent a few months in Dubai and other places. I haven't had a chance to tell you, but my Paddington family contacted me and…" What Tony told Tim next made the younger man sit down and then smile, a big happy smile. Finally, some of Tony's birth family was showing some love! His cousin, the younger brother of the evil Crispian, had contacted him and set things right. Some of those things, Tony said, were big fat shares in the family's North Sea Oil company. And those big fat shares entitled him to use the family jets when he wanted.

"I was calling to see when you're going home with Lu and the new babies. I hope you haven't purchased non-refundable tickets or anything."

"Wow. I, uh, wow. Tony, this is so cool!"

"Yeah, it is! So?"

"No, we haven't made reservations yet. I'm due in court on Thursday to have my Legal Guardianship approved. At least I hope it will be approved. We had a meeting with Social Services today and they told me they approve, but I don't know how much weight that carries with the judge. So I won't know if I'll have the kids, when I'll have them or when we can leave until Thursday."

"Okay, as soon as you know, send me a text? Or we could come over now, hang out there."

"Of course you can, as long as you don't mind that I hope I'll be spending most of my time with the kids. And it's really cold here."

"Cold, it's not winter there yet!"

"I know but temps have been close to freezing already. And we've had the heat on at Bill's."

"Wow. Have you been to the office yet?"

"No, I'm going Wednesday afternoon. I have a meeting with Vance and then I'm having dinner with the Palmers."

"Anything special with Vance?"

Tim took a deep breath, "I'm leaving the field, Tony. As a single parent, I can't handle the hours and the time away, especially in Southeast Asia, and the danger, not with four kids, no matter how much backup I have."

"Geez, both of us. Makes sense, Tim, we're single dads, the only parent they've got. Are you staying with the agency?"

"Yes, I'll be managing a CCU in DC starting in April." Tim told him about the pitch he planned to make to Vance to stay in Australia through the summer, working with the CCUs and Field Teams in SE Asia.

"I'd approve that!"

Tim laughed, "Thanks, boss!"

"Have fun at the Navy Yard. Have you been there since Gibbs went missing?"

"No and I hadn't thought of that. When we decided to go to San Diego, Rick packed my personal belongings from my workstation and brought the box to me at the airfield the day we left. I have most of it in my desk in Perth."

"I…well, let me know what it's like seeing another team in our bullpen. And no Gibbs."

"Nick Torres is on the new MCRT, I worked with him for a few years."

"You never told me what happened to Bishop."

"I'll tell you on the plane or when we get home. Long and kind of weird story."

"Is she still with the agency?"

"I don't know. I'll ask Jimmy when I see him."

"Good! Hey, if we plan it right, maybe Jimmy can come have breakfast or something with us after Tali and I get there, before we take off again."

"That's right, your air crew will need a break."

"A layover!"

Eventually the two disconnected the call.

Now, on Saturday morning, Tim was glad to think of something else. He'd realized when he woke up that today was October 3rd, a year since he'd lost Delilah. After saying a few prayers, he forced himself to think of his plans for the children, for the next two weeks, the flight home and everything else.

Thursday, he'd sent a text to Tony with the date he, the kids and Lu could leave. Since then, there'd been texts flying back and forth. The Paddington family jet would arrive at approximately 1100 two weeks from tomorrow, Sunday. While the crew took a break, the DiNozzos, Palmers and McGees and whoever else wanted to join them would meet somewhere in DC or Virginia for brunch and then would return to the airfield.

Tony left it up to whoever managed the flights to figure out how much crew they'd need. He requested the jet for the date agreed upon with Tim, listing the stops they wanted to make, the number of passengers and the final destination. Return from Perth to London was tentatively set for January 30th, although Tony thought he and Tali might stay longer as it would be summer there and winter in Europe.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

Henry and Emma said a tearful goodbye to the Days, giving them many hugs and kisses. The adults would keep it a surprise but the children would have another visit with their former foster parents before they left for their new home. Henry insisted on helping to carry things and Tim gave him a tiny suitcase on wheels, filled with some of his books and toys, to pull to the truck. When Emma wanted to do the same thing, smart daddy Tim had a tiny suitcase for her, too, with some of her plush animal friends. Eventually the kids got tired of playing this new game, 'moving' and went to the store with Grama Lu. Everything was packed and organized, loading didn't take long and by the time Lu and the kids returned, they were ready for the drive to the O'Briens' home in Alexandria.

Annie and Jim were expecting them, having received a text from Tim and waited at the front door to meet their guests. After paying his Baltimore family for their expenses, Tim had deposited the check from Carly's estate and would tell their hosts that the estate money was for their room and board.

Henry solemnly held out his hand for a shake as Tim introduced him and Jim squatted down to shake his little hand. Giggling, Emma opted for hugging their legs.

The kids were glad to share a room again. Tim and Lu's rooms were across the hall, with a bathroom between them. Tim and Lu had discussed the kids' first night away from the Days and decided it would be all right for Tim to sleep in the room with them that first night. There was a double bed in there and Tim thought he'd share it with Henry.

Emma went down for her nap without a fuss, she was tired after playing moving. Henry played quietly with his toys, in his new daddy's room. Tim sat in there with him while Lu decided she'd also have a nap. Tim played with Henry but then the little guy got sidetracked with his train cars and Tim moved to a comfy chair in the room. Within a few minutes, Henry crawled up onto his lap and fell asleep. Holding onto him, Tim felt his own eyes slipping closed. He was emotionally exhausted and glad the day, the 1st anniversary of his wife's death, was more than halfway through. He'd sent a long email to Charlie and he and Lu spent more than an hour talking about the past year.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

The little family spent a rainy Sunday inside. Years ago, the O'Briens had converted their basement to a laundry/playroom and Tim took the kids down there after breakfast. There was room to ride their new Big Wheels and Henry rode his around for most of the day. Emma wasn't quite tall enough yet so she walked her wheels around for a while before she spotted something else that looked like fun, a rocking chair just her size, with a stuffed doggy waiting for her cuddles. After she put the puppy down for a nap, she took the crayons and paper she'd discovered and drew some pictures. Henry liked that idea too and stopped riding long enough to draw his new daddy and grama, sister and him, with an angel in the sky watching them.

When Grama reminded him about his new siblings, he drew another picture, this time with Lizbet and Jace and the others. Tim took a piece of paper and drew Granducky, Poppy and Granpa Charlie, adding Lu and himself. He handed it to Henry, "These are all your adults, at our home. There will be uncles and aunts visiting, but these are the people who live with us right now."

He pointed to each figure, naming them and Henry repeated them. Once they'd done that two or three times, Tim had Henry go through the drawing and tell him each name. He did well with that, giggling every time he said Granducky. After that, Tim pulled up pictures on his phone and Henry named each one correctly. His little face lit up, happy with his success.

Tim lifted him up and twirled him around, "Yay, Henry!"

Emma was at his side in a flash, wanting to be twirled around too. Tim twirled her, too, although he didn't twirl her over his head as he'd done Henry. After her twirl, he went through the names and faces with her. While she had some trouble pronouncing 'granducky', after a few times through, she was able to match faces with names. Her little face lit up at the fist bump and the "Yay, Emma!" from her new daddy.

Although both Lu and Tim were afraid the next two weeks would drag, they went by quickly. On Monday, Tim returned to the courthouse, filing a petition to adopt Henry Timothy Ross and Emma Margaret Ross, including changing their surname to McGee and at the same time changing Emma's middle name to 'Rose' to honor her new grandmother, whose middle name was also Rose. That had been in one of Carly's letters, that she'd picked Margaret when she couldn't think of anything else and that he should feel free to change it. He gave his permanent address in Merriwa and before they left for home, Gibbs reported an envelope arrived for him from the State of Maryland. He opened it for Tim to find it was a confirmation of his petition.

The new owners of the Georgetown house sent him a 'Thank You' card, care of Annie, for his generosity. They planned to move in the following weekend, saving themselves a full month's rent at their former residence. With the conditions he'd laid out, all in their favor, they believed the cost of their son's medical care would now be within their means. As they could never hope to repay him in kind, they promised they would 'pay it forward'. Tim smiled, thankful he was able to help.

Doug Hauser sent Tim a text saying he'd had a visitor the day after they'd signed the contracts for the house, the owner prior to the Hausers. She'd seen the 'For Sale' sign a few months ago and now noticed it was gone and stopped in, hoping to meet the new owner. She left a card with her contact information in case the new family wanted to know more about the history of the house. Hauser said he'd scan it online and send it to Tim's email and would leave the card in one of the kitchen cabinets. Tim was glad, he loved the continuity and hoped she might have information about the pre-Civil War owners. She'd owned the place from 1952 until the mid-90s and Hauser reported the place was in ruins when they bought it, so she might have photos or an idea of the layout of the original property. He couldn't wait to move in there!

He rode into the office with Jim a few days, doing a bit of work for Vance. Lu and the kids would pick him up after Emma woke from her nap and they'd have some sort of adventure.

They also spent more time with the Palmers, Kasie Hines and Nick Torres. Henry and Emma were happy to meet Victoria and Davey and played happily with them. Kasie had more stories to tell and Nick tried his best not to look like he wanted to run out the door. However, Emma had him figured out in minutes and charmed him out of his 'I'm too cool for kids' demeanor. Within a few minutes, he was on the floor having a tea party with her. Tim took as many photos as he could get away with, sending them to Gibbs who later said he'd laughed so hard he almost had an accident.

Tim finally found out where Bishop had landed. She'd been suspended pending an IA investigation into her withholding information and possible collusion with Ziva David. She'd been cleared of the collusion but with her previous problems would no longer be a field agent. She transferred back to the NSA where she seemed to be doing better. Nick said he'd had dinner with her Friday night and she'd said to say hello to Tim.

That bothered Tim and before he left for home, he, Bishop and Torres got together. First for coffee, the second time for dinner. Eventually, he and Bishop were able to have a heart to heart conversation about what had happened.

She realized how right he'd been about her withholding information, especially as it nearly cost Gibbs his life and did cost his freedom, not to mention the pain he'd been through. Knowing Boss wouldn't want him to bring that up, Tim let it go when Bishop said something about the pain. The truth was, even if they had been told Ziva was alive, neither Gibbs nor Tim would have had an inkling of Ziva's dangerous mental state, although they would have searched for her if they didn't think that would endanger her. Since Bishop seemed to have somehow tied Delilah's accident and death into Ziva's reappearance, Tim put her straight on that, too, putting the blame squarely where it belonged, on Benham Parsa and the drunk driver. Although he felt better after their conversations, he also felt she made the right move in returning to the NSA.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

The day before Tony's family jet landed in DC, Henry and Emma went to see the Days one last time. The couple joined the McGees and Lu for a picnic lunch in the kids' favorite park. Leaving this time was easier for the kids, who were now used to living with their daddy and grama. Although they hugged and kissed, both were too young to realize how far away they were going.

That night, Lu and Tim packed most of the kids' toys and books in storage tubs with sturdy lockdown covers, taking a zippered bag for each child with several toys and books, including several pads of drawing paper, big boxes of crayons and coloring books. Once they were through with the toys, or so they hoped, they packed the kids' clothes, putting a sweater in the carry-on bag as well as two summer outfits each and their swim gear.

When Bill offered to return the toddler bed borrowed from the Days, Tim gratefully accepted. The kids' bedding, some of their odder shaped toys and some of their shoes would also be packed in storage tubs Sunday morning. Everything else would fit in suitcases.

Then Tim and Lu tackled their own belongings. They also packed their carry-on bags with their electronic toys, a sweater for the plane, light-weight summer clothes, their swim stuff, sunhats for all and a few paper books, along with decks of cards, a cribbage game, a plastic bag with 5 dice, scorecards and a plastic cup, that is, an old Yahtzee game Tim found somewhere. They also had a first aid kit for kids, a gift from Jimmy. And, of course, more tubes of sunscreen.

By the time they had everything packed for the four of them, they were exhausted and fell into their beds, asleep within minutes. Tim woke early Sunday morning, before his alarm went off. He took a shower and dressed, putting his toiletries in one of his carry-on bags and checking the kids' paperwork for the twentieth time. That included the legal document, signed by the judge, naming him as their Legal Guardian and their passports along with the medical forms showing they'd had all their vaccinations, for the day care in Merriwa.

Within an hour, Tim was ready to go. He found the coffeemaker brewing in the kitchen and hot oatmeal in a slow cooker. He had a cup of coffee before waking Lu and the kids. He changed Emma and got her dressed for travel, and then helped Henry get his clothes on. He wanted to wear his favorite jeans today, with a striped tee shirt and his favorite red sneakers. That was fine, those had been in his carry-on bag and there were more of the little guy's favorites tucked in there.

The last clothes that Carly purchased for her children were too small for them now, but the Days saved everything that came with the kids and Lu took it all, intending to make memory quilts for the kids. She'd already made quilts for the twins and was happy to find that some kind soul had included a box of Carly's clothes with the children's belongings.

Once the kids were dressed, they accompanied Tim to the kitchen, Emma sitting in her high chair. Spooning the oatmeal into bowls, Tim added milk, then let the cereal sit for a few minutes to cool. Pouring juice, he gave Henry's glass and Emma's cup to them and cut a piece of toast in half for them. They'd have more breakfast after they met Tony and Tali.

Before she had breakfast, Lu and Tim stripped the kids' beds, packing the bedding in the tubs set aside for it. Once she'd eaten, she stayed with the kids while Tim and Jim took the toddler bed apart, bundling the pieces for Bill. After that, they starting loading Annie's SUV. They'd turned the rental in yesterday, Tim very happy that the estate was paying for their expenses, including the rental. Within a few minutes, they had the luggage, and the storage tubs stashed in the SUV, teeth were brushed, faces and hands washed and off they went to the airfield. Jim and Tim were in the SUV with Annie following, driving Jim's sedan with Lu, the kids, their carry-on bags and a few pieces of luggage that didn't fit in the SUV. Henry and Emma had a lot of new clothes, books and toys.

Driving onto the airfield, the two vehicles were parked next to the small terminal. All of them went inside just in time to hear a plane landing. In a few minutes, a sleek jet appeared as it taxied down the runway toward the building.

The gangway was quickly lowered, the hatch opened and Tony appeared with Tali. Tim hadn't seen either of them in person in more than 3 years and his eyes widened at Tali. She'd been a tiny little thing then, a little older than Emma was now. Tim counted, she'd had her 6th birthday in June! He smiled, remembering that he still had her birthday presents at home. Maybe they could celebrate her half birthday in December.

Tony looked good and when he and Tim met on the tarmac, they hugged for long minutes. Jim was glad he was there to see former Agent DiNozzo and he made sure to take some photos.

After everyone was greeted and/or introduced, Jim asked to take a photo of Tim and Tony together, then with the kids and Lu. They'd taken photos with Tim, Lu and the kids at the house, now these would be added to Henry and Emma's memory books as they transitioned from foster care with the Days to beloved wards of Timothy McGee.

Tim smiled as Tali chattered with Henry and played with Emma. She was tall for her age, that she got from her father, with hair and eyes almost as dark as Ziva's, although he could see a hint of hazel in her eyes. She was a happy and well-adjusted little girl, smiling and laughing easily and was quite at home with his kids as well as the adults.

Their suitcases and storage tubs were handed over to the baggage handlers and carefully packed into the jet's cargo space. Once that was done, Tim, Tony and Tali climbed into the SUV with Jim driving, Annie, Lu, Henry and Emma again following, as they drove to their breakfast date with the Palmers and the Baltimore uncles, as Bill, Barry, Freddie and Joe had now been dubbed. They'd arranged to have the backroom of a popular breakfast restaurant and Tim smiled as they pulled up, seeing three familiar vehicles.

When they entered the backroom, Tim, Tony and their kids in the lead, they stopped abruptly. Not only were the Palmers, Kasie Hines and the guys there, it looked like half of NCIS had joined them. Nick Torres, who'd convinced Ellie to come with him, Balboa, the Carters, Natalie, Nikki Jardine, Delores Bromstead, Fred, Henry, Maggie Barnes, the Vances and of all people, Tobias and Emily Fornell. Tim and Tony were absurdly glad to see the Fornells, glad they were going home to a living, breathing Gibbs. Tony couldn't believe how grown up Kayla and Jared Vance and Emily Fornell were! They teased him about that.

The kids and Lu hung back while their dads plunged into the crowd, shaking hands, hugging and greeting everyone. Kasie, Jimmy and Breena were grinning like loons, of course they'd helped set this up. Victoria and Davey headed for the other kids, introducing themselves to Tali and the 5 of them chattered away until Tim returned for them, carrying Emma with the rest of the kids following him.

As Jimmy and Kasie explained it, Jim asked if he and Annie could join the breakfast party. Then Rick Carter and his wife Denise also asked. Director Vance made the 3rd request and after that it was game on.

Although Tony's first reaction was to cut and run, he quickly found he was enjoying himself, although still surprised that so many people would want to see them. Or him, really, Tim had been here for 3 weeks and he knew he'd seen most of these folks.

He'd met Lu and Barry the cop in person before, but not Bill, Freddie or Joe, who was also the Jose Tim talked about. That was good, he was glad to finally meet members of Tim's family other than Sarah. He knew he had other brothers, the one in London with Sarah and the one in the Marines, which had been a real shock. And of course Delilah. Thinking of her made him sad and now he looked at the children; Victoria and Davey Palmer were the only ones of the 8 kids present, he counted the Vances and Emily Fornell as kids even though they were young adults, who had two parents.

Tim wasn't surprised when Vance wanted to talk with Tony privately, although he knew his friend wouldn't consider returning to the agency. For one thing, he was now part of the Paddington North Sea Oil Company, so he could not be an NCIS employee. However, he might want to consult.

While they all had filling breakfasts, what Tim, Lu and the children came away with was the feeling of a family reunion, even Tony agreed with that although he'd never considered anyone there but Tim and the Palmers as family. Barry, Bill and Jose were comfortable with the crowd while Freddie hung out with Lu, feeling safer with her. Tim was normally all right but this was a party for him and he was talking with everyone so Fred stuck with their mom and whichever brother was around. He knew it was strange that he was fine with his and Joe's customers but those were people he didn't have to be social with. Joe handled that side of their business.

Kasie and Tony hit it off right away, each listening to the other's tales of Tony's old team, the MCRT with Gibbs, Tim, Nick and Ellie. Nick, Tim, Ellie and Jimmy joined in and their tales grew more outrageous. Maggie Barnes joined the group, curious to meet the former members of her team. Kasie introduced her to Tony who said hello and then gave her a genuine Tony smile. Tim smiled to himself, this was a good thing, Tony being attracted after mourning for Ziva all these years. And he was being genuine, not turning on what he used to call the 'DiNozzo charm'.

After the fun and with the knowledge that he'd be back aboard the Navy Yard in less than a year, saying goodbye wasn't as difficult as it might have been for Tim. All in all, the travelers had a wonderful time and came away ready to start, or in the DiNozzos' case, resume, their journey.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

From DC, they flew straight to Fiji, with enough crew aboard to make that in one flight. When the passengers disembarked, everyone aboard had a 3 day layover.

The family stayed in cabanas on the beach as the McGees did nearly a year ago and spent their three days getting as much fresh air, exercise and time in the Pacific Ocean waves as possible. Situated on the equator, in both Northern and Southern Hemispheres, the nation, made up of several islands, offers much to see and do. The McGee-Morgan-DiNozzo clan opted to stick to the beach.

As they boarded their jet at the end of their stay, they were all excited about the next part of their trip, home to Australia! Henry and Emma knew they'd be joining the rest of their new family in their new home. Having already made friends with Tali and the Palmer kids, and spending time with their new siblings on Skype, Henry couldn't wait to get there, meet the twins, see his and Emma's new room, see what grandfathers were like, he was heartily in favor of grandmothers, and start school again. Emma wanted to play in her new house with her new sister and brothers and go to daycare with them. She also wondered about grandfathers and already loved her new grama.

Tali would be happy to stop flying and be on the ground! The beach was fun, the party when they picked up Uncle Tim, Grama Lu, Henry and Emma was fun but after flying from their hiding place to England, then to America and then the beach, she wanted to be on the ground. She was excited about meeting Jace and Lizbet who she knew were younger than Henry and her. She wouldn't go to daycare with them as she was in first grade at an online school. She'd had class on the way over from England and would have a few classes to catch up with once they got off the plane. Then she'd go every weekday, like regular schools. She'd started kindergarten at a real school last year but then she and Daddy had to go into hiding and he found school on the computer for her. She'd finished kindergarten and started 1st grade in June and she would be done, once she caught up, at the end of January. Daddy said she could start 2nd grade then and once they decided where to live, she could go back to a real school.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

This part of the flight wasn't nearly as long as the first part, from DC to Fiji and when they landed in Perth, nobody was as tired as they'd been in Fiji.

Tim smiled as he stood at the top of the gangway. Gibbs and Ducky were there with the family car and a van, likely for the luggage. That meant two drivers, Gibbs was driving again, yay!

They brought their carry-on bags down first, following with the children. Henry, Emma and Tali were a little shy with their new grandfathers but Tali knew Poppy from many Skype visits and Henry and Emma had also met them several times on Skype. Tony nearly fell into Gibbs' arms and the two of them finally parted, still snuffling. Ducky, who'd been patiently waiting after greeting the others, held out his arms and sighed in relief as he and Anthony wrapped their arms around each other.

Tim greeted both men as enthusiastically, so glad to be home and then they all watched, Tony with his mouth open, as Gibbs pulled Lu into his arms, kissing her fervently. The children giggled, Tim and Ducky beamed and Tony watched in surprise. Tim's mom was going to be his mom, too? Finally, he smiled, he was fond of Lu, happy to see Gibbs whole and in love. Tony thought that it had been a very long time since he'd had a mom, he sure wouldn't mind!

They piled into the family 'wagon' as Tim called it, while the luggage was loaded into the van. Tim drove that home, Tony riding with him, leaving the four grandparents to handle their children.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

Tim walked into the house holding Henry and Emma's hands. The twins jumped up and down, "Yay, Daddy, Grama, Henry and Emma are home, yay!"

He could feel Henry relax while Emma cheered right along with her new sister and brother. Jace and Lizbet approached the three of them and Tim leaned down to kiss and hugged them. Then they each kissed and hugged Henry and Emma. Both kids beamed and Jace said, "These are our granpas." He took Grandpa Charlie's hand and brought him forward, "This is Granpa Charlie." Charlie smiled as he shook hands with Henry and Emma and then hugged them, welcoming them home.

Lizbet brought Granducky forward, "This is Granducky." Ducky also smiled as he again hugged the children and welcomed them home.

Jace brought Poppy forward, "This is Poppy, he's Daddy's daddy." Poppy kissed each of the children's heads, again hugging and welcoming them home and to their new family.

Then Tim introduced 'Uncle Tony' and their cousin Tali, who was 6 years old! Henry and Emma giggled as the twins said hello to her.

Then Tim said, "Poppy, Granducky and Grama also belong to Tali and Uncle Tony."

Lizbet looked puzzled, asking "Is Uncle Tony your brother?"

"Yes, he is. We're chosen brothers, we didn't grow up together. Poppy and Grama are our Dad and Mom."

"Oh! That's good."

Charlie chuckled to himself, he approved of the way this family included everyone they loved. He knew that before too long, he would also belong to Tali and Tony.

Tali asked to see her room, so the twins took all three 'new' kids upstairs, accompanied by Lu helping Emma. At the top of the stairs, Jace waited, "We have to close the baby gate so Emma won't fall. We're not allowed to open it but Poppy said it's okay to close it because Grama is with us."

Henry had a question to ask, "How come Granducky has a funny name? Is he like a ducky that quacks?"

Lu smiled as all the children looked at her. "His last name is Mallard and that is also the name of a type of duck. His nickname is 'Ducky'. When your cousin Victoria was born, Uncle Jimmy and Aunty Breena asked him to be her grandfather, only his grandfatherly name would be Granducky."

"Ooh!" The kids grinned at each other, they liked the explanation.

Tali laughed, "Grama, baby ducks are ducklings. Does that make us Granducky's ducklings?"

Lu laughed with her, "You'll have to ask him, sweetheart. Now, Lizbet, which room is our guest in?"

"Oh, Tali, here," the little girl pointed, "you're in the room across from us. Henry and Emma, you're over here. The bathroom is between you. Tali, I think your daddy is next door to us."

Smiling, Henry pushed his and Emma's door open and stood there, looking everywhere. "Look, Ems, we have stars on the ceiling! And a Pooh Bear lamp!"

Emma nodded, pointing to the color of the room, "I love green!"

Henry agreed, "Me too and I have a green blanket on my bed, too! And look, you have a bed just like the one from the Days!"

They went to look at Tali's room next and everyone approved. They were examining the twins' room when Tim and Tony started bringing up the luggage. Charlie carried two suitcases, putting one in Tony's room, the other in Tali's. Tim and Tony returned with four more suitcases, depositing one in Lu's room, another in Tony's room and the last in Henry and Emma's room.

Bringing Tim's two suitcases up, another of Tali's and the last of Lu's, their last trip brought the storage tubs upstairs. Those they left in the hall. Charlie came up with the rest of the kids' stuff. Both vehicles were empty of luggage, the carry-on bags and odds and ends were all inside the house. After that, they all gathered downstairs for something to eat.

Tim was amazed to see that the table that Gibbs made for him and Delilah as a wedding present had grown larger. His dad added leaves, planks to put in the middle of the table to make it longer, staining them the same color as the rest of it.

Ducky commented quietly, "Jethro and Charlie did that together. I helped where I could but they're the woodworkers."

Reaching over, Tim kissed the top of Ducky's head, "That's from Jimmy. You have more hugs coming to you from Victoria, Davey and Breena as well as Kasie, Natalie and a bunch of NCIS'ers."

"What was it like, Timothy, after being away for a year?"

"Strange, it was the same but not the same. Nick's in the same place but other people are inhabiting the rest of our bullpen. And of course, Gibbs wasn't there. And Ducky, Vance hugged me! I was so surprised. Jim says everything's changed. The atmosphere. Some of it was the worry and tension the months Boss was missing, some of it was from having the MCRT break up overnight. In two days, Boss, Bishop and I were gone. I hadn't thought of that, makes sense now when I think of everyone at the airfield that day."

"That was for you, Timothy. Jethro hadn't been missing long enough for the worry to build up, he's disappeared before and returned in one piece. Did you see Eleanor?"

"Yes, she's back at the NSA. She says it's a relief, that she can't mess up in the field anymore."

"I wouldn't say it was being in the field that was her problem."

"Me neither and I told her that, nicely though. We parted friends."

"Good lad! Are she and Nicholas…?"

"Looks like it. Nick hugged me too!"

"Hmm, sounds like that young man is getting in touch with his feelings."

The two looked at each other, smirking. Nothing could bring a 'I'm too cool' guy to his knees quite like love.

After eating their snacks, everyone went outside to play and/or admire the grounds. The children were encouraged to chase their adults, except for Gibbs, giving them some much needed exercise. When Emma plopped herself down on the ground, her lower lip stuck out, Tony had to turn away to hide his expression. She might not be related to Tim but that lower lip thing was so much like him that he couldn't help himself.

Tim swept her off the ground, "Okay, sweetie, time for a break." He was tired too and thought jet lag was about to hit. He looked at Henry, Tali, Lu and Tony. "Emma, Henry and I are going to take a jet lag nap."

Lu nodded, her legs were starting to feel like they were stuck in wet concrete. Tony motioned to Tali, who was blinking her eyes, as was Henry.

"See you in a few hours, everyone!"

The 6 of them made it up the stairs and to their rooms before collapsing. Tim even managed to settle Emma and Henry and point down the hall to his room. "That's my room, if you need me, call or come get me. Emma, please don't try to go downstairs without an adult. I don't want you to get hurt." Even though he'd closed and locked the baby gates, little Miss Emma could be very resourceful.

"Ok, Daddy, I promise."

Tim opened his door, kicked his shoes off and nearly threw himself onto the bed.


	9. Chapter 9

Notes in the Key of Life

Chapter 9

When he woke, his eyelids weren't so heavy but there was something or someone on top of him. He opened both eyes and smiled, both Henry and Emma were partially curled up on either side of him, their heads and torsos on his chest and his arms wrapped around them. The twins were playing quietly in the corner. They looked up, smiling. Looking at a clock, his watch was under Henry, he saw he'd slept close to three hours. That was enough for a nap, they needed to sleep tonight, too.

Gently he woke them and watched them wake. Henry woke up right away and sat up, nearly falling off the bed. That was so like something Carly would do that Tim chuckled. Emma squinted one eye open, then the other, looked around and finally opened both eyes as Tim said, "Time to get up! Come on, let's get up, you two!"

Jace stood by Henry, "Henry, want to play trains with me?"

With a smile, Henry swung around and slid off the bed, "Yes, please, Jacey!"

That was a new nickname and little Jace grinned. Grabbing Emma, Tim also swung off the bed, "Come on, Sweet Pea, let's get you changed!"

Emma thought about that, "I'm not ready yet, Daddy."

"All right, let me know when you are. Then you can use your potty."

"Okay!"

He thought 19 months was a little young to potty train but then, this was Emma's decision. Making sure the potty seat was clean and readily available, the six of them, Tali was also awake, walked downstairs. They found the older men on the terrace, Lu puttering in the kitchen and Tony absent, he must still be asleep. Tali giggled, "Daddy always sleeps longer than me."

Gibbs gave her a hug. "When your daddy worked with us, he always had a hard time getting up early."

She nodded, "He says Uncle Tim used to call him to make sure he got up."

Tim made a face, well, he'd kept that quiet for a lot of years, he didn't suppose it mattered now.

His former boss just nodded, 'I know, Tali, that was really nice of him. Your dad has a different inner clock than we do." When she looked at him, he explained, "His natural sleep time is later than the rest of us but he always needs to sleep as long as we do, so he wakes up later. Sometimes it doesn't matter, even if you try to go to sleep earlier, you can't always fall asleep when you want to."

"Oh, yes, he's said that. He told me Uncle Tim was always on time but could stay up all night writing or playing on his computer."

Tim opened his mouth and then shrugged, that was true. "I grew up differently than your dad, Tali. Where I lived, it was always noisy and sometimes scary. So I'd fall asleep but wake up a lot to make sure everything was all right. Eventually, I trained myself to just go to sleep later. I don't do that much anymore. When I started to work for Poppy, I needed to be wide awake when I got to work, not half asleep. I could change because staying up all night wasn't natural to me, I taught myself to do that, which meant I could re-teach myself to sleep all night. Your dad is hard-wired to stay up late and sleep later. He was born that way."

"Oh, I didn't know that could happen."

"Don't know about other people, but it's happened with your dad and me."

Gibbs nodded, "Me too, Tali. I used to stay up late because I had a lot of bad dreams when I slept. But I'd be sleepy in the morning and all day so I had to drink a lot of coffee to keep me awake. And then the coffee kept me awake all night. Then I went to a place, with Uncle Tim, where we couldn't have coffee and when we came home, I didn't stay up so late anymore."

"Did your bad dreams go away?"

"Mostly. Sometimes I still had them, but then I knew they were just dreams, so I could go back to sleep."

Tim wrapped his arms around his dad and held on. Gibbs sighed, reveling in the comfort. He loved that both his boys were here now. He muttered something to Tim, who pulled back, chuckling. "She's fine, I told you that. And yes, she and Nick are finally admitting they like each other. I told Ducky that Nick hugged me."

That got a raised eyebrow and Tony, joining them, laughed. "I didn't realize how much I missed our nonverbal communications. Does Vance still do the eyebrow rub?"

Tim nodded, "Yes."

Gibbs grinned, "Tobias told me his boss did that to him once."

"Huh, I thought that was something you and Vance cooked up."

"We did. Don't know how his boss found out."

Tim snorted, "I taught my team. My former team."

Then he realized that not everyone knew everything. At the raised eyebrows, he explained. "I'm leaving the field. Actually, I've already left it, I won't be going back out, no more gear bags or three week long trips to other countries for criminal cases."

Charlie looked puzzled and a little alarmed, "Did you quit the agency?"

"No. Remember when Vance said he wanted me home earlier?"

"Yes and we voted to stay until April."

"Right. I would have been leaving the field then, managing a Cyber Crime Unit. However, I realized that I couldn't stand the thought of leaving my children again, not even for an overnight trek somewhere. Lu and I discussed how and what I would say to Vance but I knew I needed to make it beneficial to the agency. I did a little research," he smiled at their obvious amusement, "and found that the results for shared cases between Cyber Crimes and the Field Teams in the two Asian Field Offices are even worse than they are in DC. That was my pitch, to start now, so I could work out the best approach with my former team, who I know and trust and vice versa, and the Cyber Crime unit in Singapore. When Perth's shared case statistics go up, I'll work with the other SEAFO offices and then FEFO. That ought to get us through March."

Charlie laughed, "And the point of all that is so we get to stay through the summer here."

Tim nodded, "Yes, but the more I thought about it, the better I liked the idea. I'm here, I've worked closely with this team and a few others for the past 10 months, why not take advantage of it? Also, if I can organize how I go about this, it'll go faster next time."

Gibbs had a look on his face. "Once we're back in the U.S., you'll do this with the mid-Atlantic offices?"

"Yes. I don't know about the rest of the country, I hope by that time I'll streamline the training. And I plan to do this all through Skype, no traveling. Maybe an overnight here or there once we move home, but nothing more than that."

"Then Europe will need to be trained."

Tim grinned, "Yes and the time zones might create a need for me to be on site. In that case, I'd say we take a family vacation. You all vacation and I'll work."

Charlie chuckled, "I do like the way you think. Think how educational that will be for the children!"

Tony grinned, "I have a house for everyone to stay in."

As one, they turned to look at him and he continued, "It was willed to me by Uncle Clive. Long story but my cousin Crispian cheated me out of everything I should have inherited, although I didn't know any of that. Until recently when an attorney connected to the family finally found someone who could help. Crispian is now in prison and I got everything that Uncle Clive left me and what my mother inherited, too. Her will left everything to me on my 25th birthday."

"But you didn't get it until recently?"

"Right, but I'm still here and if I'd inherited back then, I not only wouldn't have handled it well, I would have never met any of you or Tali's mother."

Tim huffed, "Talk about a God thing!"

"Oh yeah! The house is Georgian architecture, that is George the 1st, built in the late 17th century, 100 years before our War of Independence. It was built near a village as a country house for a member of the nobility; the place it's near is called Jaxton and it's now a town, not a village anymore. It's outside London, on bus, Tube and train lines. The house has 20 bedrooms, a huge living room, formerly a parlor, large kitchen and, get this, servants' quarters on the third floor. It's very "Downton Abby" or "Upstairs, Downstairs" if you prefer.

"Wow! Is there indoor plumbing?"

Tony chuckled, "Yes, it was renovated in the early 1900s and that was added. A more comprehensive renovation was done in the late 1970s, by someone with enough money and vison to include several en suite and hallway bathrooms. That was at the beginning of the Paddington family's venture into North Sea oil."

"Smart move!"

"Saved them from having to sell everything off. We have an indoor pool and playroom as well as an extensive library. Ducky, one of my goals is to catalog the books, I'm sure there are treasures in there. If you'd like to spend several months helping with that, I'd love it."

"Oh! That sounds wonderful, Tony. How long are you planning to stay here?"

Tony tilted his head, "The house was…damaged and needs some serious structural work done on it. What we'd like to do, if it's all right with everyone, is to stay in Merriwa, near you, until April and then return to the States with you. We'll stay in Virginia until June. Tali attends school online and her school year ends in June. If we go home in June or July, she'll be able to transition back to a brick and mortar school in September."

From the noise everyone made, they were quite happy at the prospect of the DiNozzos staying here as long as the rest of them. Tim, Gibbs and Ducky caught the reference to the house being damaged and resolved to find out more later.

When Charlie asked what the weather was like in London during the summer, the others laughed. Tony smiled, having a good idea why. "It's milder than most places, although the climate change people say it will be as hot as Barcelona. However, that's still cooler than Phoenix! Because the UK is on an island, there's almost always a breeze with some rainy days. And yes, come on over, Charlie, any family of Tim's is family of mine."

He looked around, "Everyone's welcome, anytime!"

Lu thought about that, "Whose winters are less miserable, London's or DC's?"

"Mm, close call, but I'd say London's. I'm told there is far less snow than there used to be. Still have the wind and some pretty spectacular storms. We have several functioning fireplaces, we use solar panels to suck up as much solar energy as possible and I splurged on 3 generators, so when the electric's gone out, we don't lose what's in the refrigerator or freezer and stay warm. I did that after reading about poor Californians having their power cut off deliberately to prevent wildfires from starting. When we lose power for more than 12 hours, we open up the house to Jaxton residents for hot meals, hot showers and a warm place to sleep if they need one."

"Wow, that's awesome."

Tony shrugged, "I'm learning the ways of my Paddington family. They made things right for me and I want to give back where I can."

Tim nodded, "Thanks, Bro! You just gave me several ideas for the house in Arlington!"

"We want to hear more about that!"

"How about after Tony is through?"

Tony chuckled, "Well, let's see, the house sits on about 15 acres, all that remains of the original property. There's green space behind and on each side, so it's quiet. I have a media room, with a large screen and theater style seating. I had that put in, the screen and the theater seating. The room itself was a ballroom at some point, it was divided up during previous renovations and we reclaimed about a third of it for the media room. The former stables, at the edge of the property, were renovated to house people in the 1970s, updated 6 years ago and there are several long-term tenants. A former carriage house is our garage, with room for 4 vehicles. I have an electric cart to get around the property and I drive an SUV, which is easier with all of Tali's stuff. I can't think of anything else!"

The kids were in the family room playing together, so other than the adults keeping an eye on them, they were fine.

Lu started their story, talking about the Arlington neighborhoods they'd driven through and then spotting the almost hidden driveway and a corner of a sign. Tim talked about falling in love as they drove in and saw the trees, the house and the wide front porch, covering the entire front of the house.

"The house was built in the early 18th century, probably a few years after Tony's place, as the home of a plantation owner. It was a tobacco plantation with 800 acres and yes, there were slaves. I want to do something on the property that deals with that. I've seen a few ideas online but it'll take a while to put together. Anyway, the house is three stories, including a finished attic with 2 bedrooms and a full bath and a common sitting area. There are 8 bedrooms on the second floor, along with a nursery, a maid's room and several bathrooms. The master bedroom has an en suite. Downstairs, the foyer is kind of…" he looked at Lu who smiled, saying, "somewhere between classic and glitzy?"

Tim nodded, "Yes, that's perfect. The owners before the people we bought it from purchased the place in 1952. It was pretty much in ruins and they spent years restoring and renovating it. He was Navy and I think ended up as an admiral. Our seller told us they did a lot of entertaining and the foyer was meant to be a focal point as the officers and their wives came in. Anyway, they sold it in the mid-90s to our sellers. There are 8 acres left of the original 800. The house itself takes up about 3/4 of one acre. In the back and on the sides, there are cultivated and fenced gardens, as well as a fenced and enclosed vegetable and herb garden near the kitchen. That has a cover that can be rolled back during good weather but it has lighting and irrigation, both on timers, so it's fairly self-sustaining. We didn't see it but there's also a small creek that runs across the property, the Hausers said it's deep enough to keep children happy for hours. He also said there's a tree house that he plans to repair before we move in. We took videos, we'll show them to you after the kids are asleep, don't want them to get confused about where we are living."

"Great, can't wait to see them. Tony, do you have videos?"

"I think they're still on my phone, I'll check, Boss. I mean Gibbs."

Jethro smiled, "I asked Tim to call me Dad, like you to do that too."

Tony looked at Tim who had a huge smile on his face. "All right, Dad. That's going to take a while to get used to."

Tim nodded, "For me, too!"

Later, when it was just Ducky and the three of them, Tim asked about the 'damage' to DiNozzo's home. Tony sighed, "Dad, you saved our lives that night. As soon as I saw your message, I threw clothes in bags, grabbed our passports and other paperwork and drove out of there like a crazy man. We went to the family offices in London, there are a couple of suites in there and the building has 24/7 security. Once we were in, I tracked down Senior and convinced him to give me Prince Al's contact information. Since I no longer worked at NCIS, it never occurred to me to contact the agency or the American Embassy for help.

"All I had to go on was Gibbs' text and a phone call from the Jaxton constable that someone had attacked my house. He called that night, they were afraid we were still in there but noticed the SUV was gone.

"I still thought we should be all right, until a few days later when I tried to call Gibbs on his cell, found his voice mail full, tried to call his house phone to be told it was out of service and then called his desk phone, that voice mail was also full. I couldn't find Tim. I Googled news for Alexandria, Virginia, and saw that a house on E. Laurel had been shot up and the owner was still missing. That's when I knew it wasn't just me that someone was after.

"I'd felt fairly safe at the office but after seeing the article, I called Prince Al and he had security forces at the door within minutes. They took us to a house in London and from there we went elsewhere, I gave my word not to divulge some of the locations and there was nothing threatening US security. We did spend some time in a couple of his homes in Saudi Arabia and in Dubai. We were safe and there weren't any questions. Except that the prince said a few times that no one had been able to find Gibbs. When I asked if that included NCIS, he said yes, NCIS, Interpol, the CIA, Mossad and other agencies allied with the U.S. Boss, after Tim called to say you were safe, I told Prince Al, who said he'd also just heard and that he was glad but that we should stay until his security forces confirmed we would be safe. I didn't know what that meant, now I'm guessing they wanted to confirm that Ziva was dead."

Tim nodded. "Yes, probably that and also to verify that the terrorist group who initially backed Ziva were no longer involved. Dad's rescue happened in May, Tony, so by the time you, me, Ducky and the prince heard, Ziva was dead and buried. She chose suicide by the rescuers. Even though she hadn't been Mossad for several years, they paid to transport her to Israel and to bring Gibbs here to us. Ziva's buried in the family cemetery there, with Aunt Nettie and the others."

Tony looked pained, "Aunt Nettie's dead? When?"

"When the farmhouse was bombed. She was there. Mossad's theory is that she'd come to warn Ziva but that she and Tali had already left."

"Oh God. I wonder if that's what sent her over the edge?"

Gibbs nodded, "It was the final thing."

Swallowing hard, Tim and Tony nodded, holding onto their dad and former boss, grieving for him and with him for the Ziva they'd known. Ducky went to bed, also grieving but knowing he needed time to digest all of this and that Jethro needed time with his 'boys'.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

Although jet lag was a little hard to shake off, Tim was ready to return to work by the following work week. Henry and Emma liked Ms. Joan's daycare immediately and happily joined Lizbet and Jace in their weekday adventures there. Tali had class every day, but Tony thought that once she caught up, she'd have time to spend a few hours a week at Ms. Joan's.

Tim visited the office earlier, to say hello and move his belongings to the empty desk. He smiled as he saw that Wilson was already occupying the empty desk. All three agents and Glynee were happy to see him, although puzzled by what looked to them like a step down. He explained what he was doing and Wilson smiled, glad to have some help in dealing with the CCU. He never was sure he understood what they wanted or expected and from the results he'd seen in Manila, the CCU felt the same way about the field teams.

That first day back, Tim polished his plan and sent it to Cassie and the Director. Cassie answered quickly, welcoming him back and telling him to 'go for it', that the CCU teams in Singapore were looking forward to the training.

By the third day, Tim was confident he was on the right track as he found an abysmal lack of knowledge in the CCU about what the Field Agents did and amongst the Field Agents about what the CCU did. He sent them all detailed descriptions and then got to work training each to deal with the other, with successful, productive results.

Working with his team and one of the Singapore CCU teams, by the end of a month, he felt they were doing about 70% better in their dealings with each other. He was monitoring both 'sides' and when he felt the Field needed to add something, he said so and when he felt the CCU needed to be clearer or look deeper into cyber space, he said so. Then the holidays interrupted them.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

This year, Tim was happy to celebrate his birthday, although he didn't want any gifts. If anyone really felt the need to give, he requested they donate to their favorite charity. He loved the drawings and paintings the four kids made for him and the sweet and funny cards from everyone else. He and Jimmy exchanged birthday calls, their birthdays only a day apart.

As the American holiday of Thanksgiving is not celebrated in Australia or anywhere that isn't part of the U.S.A, except by expatriates, NCIS employees in other countries may celebrate on the weekends before or after the 'real' Thanksgiving. Tim's family hosted a feast for the NCIS staff and their families on Thanksgiving Saturday. Along with the Perth staff, they invited any US military who were in the area at the time. That brought a couple more people to them. They also invited their neighbors and friends to experience the American holiday.

Moving the kitchen and dining room table outside with the patio table, all three draped with netting to keep the bugs away, gave them room for 30 people. They either had or borrowed enough chairs and benches to seat everyone. It helped that several of those 30 were children.

They ordered their turkey from the local butcher, picking it up Friday afternoon. That evening, Jethro and Lu made a marinade and set the turkey in it. Each of the NCIS guests had been asked to provide or tell Tim about a favorite Thanksgiving dish.

The menu was fairly standard for Thanksgiving: turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce (both whole berries and jelly, thank you very much!), rolls, vegetables and a green salad. However, instead of stuffing made with cubes of bread, sliced or diced vegetables and seasonings, the cubes were combined with softened chunks of sweet potatoes, seasoned and baked together. The mashed potatoes were fairly traditional, as was the gravy, but the vegetables were gently steamed with delicious seasonings. The green salad was one of brother Bill's chopped salad recipes. The rolls were made from scratch by Tony and incorporated some of his favorite Italian seasonings, without overwhelming the rolls' warm buttery goodness.

The Wilsons brought three pies, one pumpkin, one pecan and one apple, while Lu made a triple recipe of her family-famous apple crisp. Much to his co-workers' surprise, Agent Ty Mercer also made a pie, with a mix of fresh Australian berries. With the children's help, Tim made pies, one lemon and one sweet potato. He also made a second sweet potato pie but tucked it away for the family. Ice cream and whipped cream were available as toppings for the pies.

When their guests arrived, their side dishes were placed in the refrigerator or oven and the guests ushered to the tables outside. They found themselves seated in a rectangular, tent-like structure of tightly woven netting to keep the bugs away from their feast. Their meal was excellent and was prefaced by Tali and Henry, as the two eldest children, saying grace, followed by an explanation of Thanksgiving by Ducky and Charlie.

The meal and the day were a hit. After they ate the main courses, Tim and Tony set up a volleyball net and several people played volleyball until Ducky felt they'd had enough exercise for the moment. That was fun, too.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

From Thanksgiving to Christmas was 30 days, which to the Merriwa clan felt more like 3. The week after their holiday feast, they said a sad goodbye to Ducky, who was headed back to the U.S. to spend the Christmas season with the Palmers. That was a big adjustment after his long stay. Jimmy sent a text to Tim when Ducky reached home.

In the meantime, the rest of the adults cleaned house, rearranging most of the bedrooms so that the Baltimore group, Sarah, Rob and the DiNozzos would have beds to sleep on. Charlie, who'd been sleeping in Tim's office, moved back downstairs, taking Ducky's former room.

The kids didn't mind when they were split into two rooms, one for the two boys and another for the girls, including Tali.

Tim would share his bed with Rob, they'd done that many times before and Tim decided Freddie would be more comfortable sleeping in his room. There was plenty of space for an airbed.

Tony originally considered renting a place of their own but now found that he and Tali didn't want to miss anything, nor did anyone want them to leave. His room was large enough to fit one of the double airbeds. With Freddie in Tim's room, that meant Tony would share with Jose and he looked forward to getting better acquainted with him. Sarah would sleep in Tim's office, which had a sofabed and Bill and Barry would sleep in the playroom.

Tim felt bad that they couldn't fit their beds in one of the other bedrooms but the playroom was the only one where their guests wouldn't feel cramped. Making sure each of the rooms were clean, Tim found 2 sets of plastic drawers for Barry and Bill and borrowed a rolling clothing rack so they could hang their clothes.

As neither Tim nor Delilah had eliminated any bedding when they moved in together and Lu also had all of hers from her 2 bedroom house, there were plenty of sheets, blankets and pillowcases. Tim was relieved that they had enough bedding to put at least two blankets under each airbed. While Spring was definitely edging into Summer, the floors could be cool at night and the cold air would seep right up into the airbeds.

The morning everyone was arriving, Tim, Tony and Charlie inflated the airbeds, knowing the travelers would need naps soon after their arrival. The beds were made with sheets, blankets and pillows, each guest had 2 towels and a washcloth, left on the tops of the beds.

With six adults arriving, Tim planned to remove all the kids' seats from the family wagon but when their neighbor offered his 12 passenger van, Tim gratefully accepted. Lu rode with him to the airport and they were waiting outside of Customs, when they spotted Sarah and Rob leaving a Customs agent. Tim sighed in relief; for a little while, he'd have all his kids together. He held onto first Sarah, then Rob, as each also embraced Malu.

The four guys were next and there was more hugging and kissing. Grabbing Sarah's suitcase, Tim was immediately glad it was a roller, wondering if she'd had to pay for going over the weight limit. Lu went to get the van while they waited outside. Sarah laughed, "It's beautiful out, a lovely spring day! It snowed in London yesterday. I'm glad we were already in Fiji!"

"How did you like that?"

"Perfect break, I think if we didn't have reservations, I would have left the flight anyway! I cannot believe how long it was."

Tim grinned, "I hear you get used to it."

"Really? Have you?"

"Not so far, no. Although the first time was the worst. We were on commercial flights. When Lu and I flew home in September, we flew on a government jet and had a great layover in Hawaii. Coming home, we were on Tony's family's private jet. We still stopped in Fiji though, and let the kids run all they wanted."

"That was your new kids, right?"

Tim laughed, "They're pretty well assimilated now, but yes, Henry and Emma."

By now they were in the van and on their way back to Merriwa. Barry looked around, "This doesn't look like the photo you sent of Lu's car."

Lu grinned, "That's because it's not my car. Tim was ready to take all five of the kids' safety seats out when our neighbor took pity on him and loaned us the van."

"Why are there 5?"

"Tony's daughter Tali. She's 6 and still needs a safety seat."

"Of course! Tim, are you still allowed to use an agency sedan?"

"Yes, turns out the office has two agency sedans, don't know why with a team of three. Anyway, the new team lead, Wilson, drives one and I drive the other."

"That's good. Wow, it's interesting here. Desert and ocean at the same time."

"Yes and the ocean is the Indian Ocean! I still think it's awesome that we live by and swim in the Indian Ocean! It's nearly at the bottom of the planet!"

The guys chuckled and Barry said, "So when do we get to put our feet in?"

"Probably today; depends how tired you are. You can go every day, you know."

"Cool, swimming in the ocean in December!"

Once home, everyone was introduced to Charlie, Henry, Emma, Tali and Tony. Gibbs knew everyone but Freddie and Joe and was pleased to finally meet them.

Two days later, Gibbs was at the house with a napping Emma while everyone else was at the beach. He was in the kitchen, chopping greens and vegetables for dinner, when someone knocked on the front door. Wiping his hands, he walked through the living room and looked through the spy hole in the door, immediately opening it. The man on the other side of the door looked at him before saying with a grin, "Are you Boss?"

Gibbs laughed, "I used to be, Captain! Welcome home!"

The unexpected visitor was Captain Geordie Perry, who'd kept his arrival a surprise from everyone but Charlie Fielding. Knowing from Tim that Charlie was a retired Marine Colonel, Geo first contacted him through an active duty officer who'd served with both men. Once Charlie replied, they set up Geo's homecoming. This afternoon, Charlie said he needed to run an errand and left the beach shortly after Gibbs and Emma returned to the house for her nap, driving to the airport to meet Captain Perry. Back in Merriwa, he'd dropped the Captain at the house and returned to the beach.

Geo looked around, "This place is huge!"

Gibbs looked up from the iced tea he was pouring, "Yeah, it is. Did someone engineer this with you?"

"Yep, Colonel Fielding."

Gibbs grinned, "Wily old fart!"

"He had a lot of fun setting it up. I'm bunking in the playroom with Barry and Bill, the Colonel bought another airbed for me. I believe he's got it hidden under his bed."

Gibbs laughed, "That's a good one! As soon as Emma wakes up, we'll head back to the beach. Do you want a snack?"

"Yes, please! Uh, is Emma Tony's daughter?"

"No, that's Tali. Emma is…when did you last hear from anyone?"

"August, so I knew you were safe and here. Have things changed?"

"Yes, sadly. You knew Carly?"

"Carly, Tim's friend? Yes."

"Tim hadn't been in contact with her since he and Dee got back together after her return from Dubai, except to tell her when they got married. In the meantime, Carly decided she wanted children and went to a sperm bank. Tim says she brought it up to him but it was just an idea and he said no thanks. She has two children, a little boy named Henry, who's 4 and a little girl named Emma who is 19 months old. Carly died of cancer a few months ago. She knew that Dee died, but didn't know where Tim was. So her attorney was the one who tracked Tim down through the agency, letting him know Carly wanted him to raise her children."

Geo's mouth opened and he stood there, eyes closed and shaking his head. "Wow, 4 kids and a single parent. That's rough."

"He had to appear in front of a judge to be approved as the kids' legal guardian and of course he'd never met them before. They were in foster care. Lu went with him and they stayed with Bill until Tim was given custody. Then they stayed with friends from NCIS. They were gone three weeks. There's more news, happier news but I'll let him tell you."

"Emma, Henry, oh Jace and Lizbet are 3 now, so they're between Henry and Emma in age."

"Yes. Tony DiNozzo and his daughter flew home with Tim, Lu and the kids."

"I thought he lived in Europe?"

"He did and will again. But he and Tali were in danger from Ziva, I managed to send him a text and they left home immediately. Their house was badly damaged and he wasn't able to leave his secured location, or have any work done on the house, until August."

"That's when you got here."

"Yes, I was rescued in May but it took that long for me to gain enough strength to travel here. And my rescuers want to remain anonymous, so they didn't tell anyone of the rescue until two of them brought me here to Tim."

Geordie put down his drink and gently wrapped his arms around Gibbs. "Thank God they got to you in time, Gibbs."

"Thanks and I'm Jethro – or Dad. Finally got Tim and Tony to start calling me that."

"That's great! Makes sense when you're Poppy to the kids. Tali too?"

Gibbs nodded proudly and Geo smiled, thinking how much things had changed for the better between his little brother and his former boss in the last few years.

When Emma woke, she called down from the baby gate, "Poppy, I need the potty!"

Gibbs huffed as Geo offered to run upstairs to help her. "Thanks, I'm still pretty slow on the stairs. She knows who you are, we looked at pictures last night."

"Ok." Geordie ran up the stairs, smiling at the sweet little girl who was beginning to squirm. "Hi, I'm your Uncle Geordie and I'll help you with the potty."

"Fast, please!"

They made it to Emma's potty in time. On the way back to her room, Emma looked at him, "Daddy didn't say you would be here."

"It's a surprise!"

"Oh boy, a surprise!" She clapped her hands and then smiled again when she saw her poppy with her swimsuit. "Back to the beach?"

"Yes, let's put more sunscreen on us. Uncle Geo can swim with us if he has something to swim in and a sunhat."

Emma laughed, "You have two names, Uncle Geo and Uncle Geordie!"

Geordie quickly brought his sea bag upstairs and Gibbs showed him to the play/guest room. Changing, he remembered to apply sunscreen, opting for a tee shirt over his swim trunks. There were a couple of scars he didn't want to have to explain before he even said hello. Grabbing one of his hats, a tube of sunscreen, a towel from one of the beds and slipping on what he normally thought of as shower shoes, he was ready.

He lifted an eyebrow as Gibbs led them to a sedan. "Is this Tim's agency sedan?"

"Yes. I'm still an agent, although on medical leave, so I'm allowed to drive it."

"Great!" He was amazed when they were at the beach in less than 5 minutes. Offering his little niece a piggyback ride, he kept his pace slow to match Gibbs. Clearly the older man was not yet fully recovered although it had been 7 months since he was rescued.

He hadn't thought about how to announce his presence to Malu and his siblings but Emma took care of that, "Daddy, Uncle Geordie's giving me a piggyback ride."

Tim, who was just wading to shore, smiled, did a double take and then let out a happy whoop, joining the rest of his siblings and their mother in greeting their Marine. Charlie, who'd been waiting for them, managed to get Emma into his arms and onto the sand while Henry, Jace, Lizbet, Tali and Tony stood with their mouths open in surprise. They'd never seen the camp clan in their full glory before.

All of them were crying happy tears, still whooping it up and nobody was trying to hide his or her emotions. Gibbs watched, fascinated by this group of young people, so he still saw them, as they gathered together for the first time in years.

When the others backed off a bit, Geo kept his arms around Tim and Jethro saw that his younger son was holding on tightly. It looked like he might finally be starting to let go of the stress and pain of the past 14 months, since his kidnapping, Delilah's accident, death, his arrival here followed by the news of Carly's death and his legal guardianship of children he didn't know she had. Now he supposed that another part of Tim's stress might have been constant worry about his absent brother.

Jethro put his arm around Tony, who smiled at him, and Charlie joined them. "Ah, looks like the circle is complete now, with the captain home."

Gibbs smiled at his friend, "The captain said you helped. Thanks!"

"You're welcome, it was fun to have a bit of an intrigue, especially knowing there would be a happy ending."

When the brothers finally broke apart, Tim introduced Geordie to Tony, and his nieces and nephews, including Tali. Tony beamed at that, pleased that his baby girl was considered both a granddaughter and niece. Of course, that meant he was also one of the siblings. He was used to thinking of Tim as his little brother and Sarah as 'little sis' but until now, he hadn't thought about being part of the large group of chosen siblings. Although it made him a little nervous, he was happy to be considered one of the family.

With everyone in one place for the first time ever, Christmas was bound to be memorable and it was. They ate outside frequently, someone almost always had the grill going and they were on the beach every day, even when the wind was blowing. The kids visited St. Nicholas, first making their wish lists. The children each got one thing they'd asked Santa Claus to bring them and Henry in particular was ecstatic, jumping up and down with happiness when he opened his new train set.

By the time all the gifts were opened, the entire crowd was happy. Although Tim had gifted his brothers and sister with discounts on their airfare, he also had trinkets, souvenirs from his travels, for each one of them, even Geordie who he hadn't expected to see. That night Tim sought him out and handed him a large box. "Here, Merry Christmas X 6, I'm too tired to say it 6 times."

"It's been 6 years since our last Christmas together?"

"Yes. Heck, man, it's been more than 3 years since we saw you last. This box has your presents for the past 6 years."

"Wow, thanks, Timmo! And…about that, I meant to say it at dinner but got caught up in everything else."

"What? Is this an announcement?"

"Yes?"

"Meet me in the dining room in 10 minutes, everyone needs to be there, not the kids, but all the adults."

With a patient sigh, Geordie gathered Bill and Barry and they headed downstairs to the dining room.

He laughed when he saw everyone, Tim must have dragged them from their nightly routines. Lu had a nightgown and robe on, barefoot, with two huge curlers in her naturally curly hair, Tony was also barefoot and carrying his toothbrush, complete with toothpaste, Gibbs was in his socks and sweat pants, also wearing a robe, Sarah had her hair tied back, wearing a long tee shirt and shorts and holding her tablet, Bill was still wearing his reading glasses, Rob was half asleep, Barry, Joe and Freddie each wore sweat pant cutoffs and tee shirts and Charlie had a hand towel flung over his shoulder.

When he stopped laughing, Geordie looked at Tim, "I could really make this embarrassing, you know. Announce something inane. But you're right, this is pretty important, at least for all of us here." He smiled, "I've transferred out of Special Ops."

There were quiet cheers, no one wanted to wake the children, along with a huge sigh of relief that swept through the group. Geordie continued, "My new post is Darwin, in the Northern Territory. Only a short flight away. I've also applied to move to the reserves in April. If it's approved and I've been assured it will be, I've only got three years for my 20, the Corps will pay for my ride home. If it's not approved, I'll request a transfer to Quantico. Either way, I'll be in the States with all of you. Well, except for Tony, sorry man."

Tony smiled, "That's all right. We'll be visiting holidays and birthdays."

Lu smiled happily, "This is wonderful, all but two of us in less than a few hours driving distance!"

Joe snorted, "Twenty miles or two hours. How fast was travel by horse and buggy?"

Gibbs tilted his head, "You know, I don't know about adding a wagon or buggy but a horse at a canter could conceivably cover up to 17 miles in an hour. So say an hour and a half, tops, to cover those 20 miles."

They shook their heads, laughing at that. Finding clean glasses and an unopened bottle of champagne, they toasted the very welcome change to Geordie's life.

As Tim walked back upstairs to his bed, he thought this was the perfect ending to the day.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

Although they had a wonderful time with their visiting family, everyone took naps the day Sarah, Rob, Bill, Joe, Freddie and Barry left for home. Of course the travelers didn't want to leave, having enjoyed every minute of their time in Australia, their time together as well as all the hours on the beach and in the water. They had plenty of photos to prove it, too. They were thankful they'd stop in Fiji again, none of them were looking forward to the seeming endless flight home.

Sarah and Rob would remain in the U.S. for a few days, staying with Bill, before they continued home to London. Tony had tried to book the smaller of the family jets for the two, but found them booked solid through the first weeks of January.

Geordie left for his new post in Darwin four days later and while they were sad to see him leave, for once they knew where he was and that he'd be home on his next leave.

The Merriwa group recovered from all their fun and went back to daycare, school and work. That is, Tim returned to work, Tali continued her online classes, Henry resumed his pre-kindergarten class, Lizbet, Jace and Emma resumed their adventures at daycare and the rest of the household reveled in the quiet. For about 3 hours, then they packed a lunch, 2 thermoses of coffee and went to the beach, except for Tony and Tali. They picked up the other children after Tali's classes were done for the day, joining the beachcombers.

Tim was surprised and pleased when he received a call from a case worker in Perth, saying she'd been asked to do a home inspection for the pending adoption of Henry Timothy Ross and Emma Margaret Ross. She made an appointment and Tim called Lu. Remembering that the house needed to look like children lived there, they took it easy on the cleaning but were understandably nervous. Tim left work early so he'd be home for the inspection. Lu said afterwards that it went well. Of course, the case worker didn't say anything but Lu was familiar with the process and felt comfortable about it. The kids were fine, Emma and Henry were friendly and calm, talking about their brother, sister, cousin, daddy and their grandparents. Tim didn't know if he'd hear anything soon as the inspection report would be sent to the case worker in Maryland, but he hoped they're hear something before they left Australia!

One Friday, a week after Geordie's departure, Tim left work a little early, letting Lu know he'd pick up the kids. He'd finished what he needed to do and couldn't go any further until he had responses from the Singapore CCU and the Manila Field team. The CCU-Field team project was going well. Perth's number of successfully closed shared cases was substantially increasing and Tim was now working with his third Field Team and second CCU team. He was finding a lot of satisfaction in his work, not only because it was indirectly helping solve cases faster and more efficiently but also that, as liaison between the Field teams and the CCU teams, while the teams were training he became more actively involved as cases were investigated.

Now, parking in front of the daycare, he rang the bell at the gate, holding up his ID. Inside the building, he surprised Henry and Lizbet, who were working on a project together. Looking up at him, their faces lit up and they abandoned their work, running to meet him.

Holding them close, he walked inside to collect their siblings and their belongings. Hearing someone crying, he let his kids slide down to the floor but Lizbet pulled on his sleeve. "Daddy, that's the new girl crying. Her name is Anna, the one who looks like me and Jace."

Tim nodded, knowing that Ms. Joan or one of her aides would be helping the upset child. However, his children apparently had other ideas as they pulled him, with all the strength possible for a pair of preschool children, toward the sound of the girl crying. He stopped them, "Ms. Joan will help her."

"She needs us, Daddy."

"Why, sweetie? I don't understand."

"Because she's one of us."

That caused the lift of an eyebrow but Tim dutifully followed his children. As he entered the playroom where the girl was, he saw her huddled in a corner of a bench, sobbing her heart out. He ducked out to look for Ms. Joan and found her on her way in.

"Oh, Mr. McGee, it's good to see you."

"Thank you. Lizbet and Henry are insisting I talk with the girl who's crying. Do you have any idea why? I haven't spoken with her."

She smiled at that. "Thank you. I do have some idea but perhaps you should just come with me."

Mystified, Tim followed her. Ms. Joan sat next to the little girl, wrapping an arm around him. "Anna, will you tell us what's wrong?"

"Aunty Susannah is leaving and I don't know when Mama is coming to get me."

"But Anna, your aunt isn't leaving today. She has more than a month before she leaves. She got called into work, that's why she couldn't pick you up. Your mama will be here in a few minutes, she sent me a text."

The girl looked up at Ms. Joan and then, noticing another big person, turned her tear-filled gaze to Tim. Her mouth dropped open while both Tim's eyebrows rose in surprise. Anna looked at him, at Henry and Lizbet, now joined by Jace, and back again at him. "Are you my papa?"

This time it was Tim's mouth that dropped open and to his surprise he said, "I don't know."

Anna nodded sadly, turning back toward Ms. Joan.

Tim decided not to ask the questions he really wanted, needed, to ask. He'd wait until the girl's mother arrived. He thought she was around 5 years old.

Turning to Ms. Joan, he asked if he could wait. She twisted her lips, "Yes, but I'll need to ask Anna's mother if she wants to speak with you."

"Of course and I appreciate you guarding her privacy as well as mine."

"She won't be here for 30 minutes."

"All right, I'll take the children home and come back."

"Thank you, that will be easier for Anna!"

Nodding, Tim rounded up his babies and settled them into the sedan. He took them home, said hello to everyone and had a cup of coffee before returning to the daycare. He thought he was probably crazy for doing so but the girl looked so much like him that it was uncanny. Maybe there was some familial connection, after all, Tim didn't know much about his birth family. Except for Sarah, of course. And there were many people in Australia with Scots, Irish and English ancestry.

Gibbs insisted on going to the daycare with him and Tim didn't bother arguing.

They were buzzed through the gate and walked into the center as they heard Ms. Joan saying, "His children are enrolled here, he's an American working in Perth. His name is Timothy McGee."

Tim heard a sharp gasp and a familiar voice exclaiming, "Timothy McGee? No, it must be a mistake or someone else with the name. The Timothy McGee I knew is dead!"

* * *

Note:

Episode referenced (Prince Al): Season 7, Ep 12 "Flesh and Blood"


	10. Chapter 10

Notes in the Key of Life

Chapter 10

It was Tim's turn to be shocked and he shook his head, instinctively speaking in Greek from where he was behind the woman. "Artie? Artemis Galanis? Dr. Artemis Galanis? I'm alive. Where, why and how did you think I was dead? Artie, look at me, please!" His heart was thumping, while his brain was telling him this was impossible, to find his first love in one of the most isolated regions of the world.

The woman turned and blinking, started to fall, only to flinch when Tim quickly reached out, supporting her. "No, I was told and I saw it…my Timotheos is dead, 6 years ago, how can this be? I don't understand!"

Taking a deep breath, she stood by herself and Tim dropped his arms. Slowly, she reached up and touched the scar on Tim's face. "It's the same as my Tim's. His stepmother did it when he was very young."

"When my sister Sarah was a baby. Our stepmother beat Patrick and me, put us in the hospital."

Artie, for this was indeed his first love, the woman who'd been his college sweetheart, took a deep breath. "I still don't understand. I was told you were dead. Were you in Russia? Were you injured?"

"Russia? Yes, I've been to Russia and yes, I was injured there. However, it was not life-threatening."

Gibbs listened and watched, trying to remember everything Tim told him about Artemis. The bulk of their conversations took place in Paraguay and Gibbs hadn't always been fully conscious, so now he focused. He remembered they'd met at MIT and were involved with each other for almost the whole time Tim was there, until the girl's father, a diplomat with the Greek government, demanded she move to Japan with the family, breaking Tim's heart.

Years later, the MCRT had a suspect who took off before they could arrest him and was apprehended in Boston, Massachusetts. From Dubai, Delilah had recently broken off her relationship with Tim and Gibbs sent him up to Boston to bring their suspect back, giving his agent a break.

When the suspect became ill and was hospitalized for a few days, Boss ordered McGee to stay until he was released. While Tim was waiting, he'd run into Artie, working in the area. They'd had a passionate weekend after which she'd dumped him, again. Returning to DC with their suspect, he'd been determined to push through his grief, anger and love for both women.

Gibbs thought that weekend happened about 6 or 7 months before Delilah came home, apologizing and asking Tim to give her and their relationship another chance. Yes, he nodded to himself, it was during the last weeks of summer in New England when Tim saw Artemis. Their journey to bring Kevin Hussein back from Russia began about 10 days later. He also remembered that it was early spring in DC when Delilah came home from Dubai; she'd welcomed the cool weather and the greenery.

He spoke after Tim did, "Dr. Galanis, my name is Leroy Jethro Gibbs. I'm Tim's adopted father, his colleague and former team lead. I've known him since 2003 and I was with Tim on that mission to Russia. We both had cuts, bruises and were dehydrated, Tim's right arm and knee were sprained but those were the worst of his injuries."

"Gibbs, are you the man he called Boss?"

Gibbs smiled, "Yes, I am. And you are Artemis; Tim's told me about you."

Artie nodded, beginning to accept that the man here in the daycare in Australia, thousands of miles from the United States, might be her Tim, her former lover whom she'd mourned for more than 6 years now. She wept for him again, her grief threatening to overwhelm her. Finally realizing that the object of her grief was alive and standing near her, she wiped her eyes and face, accepting a baby wipe from Ms. Joan.

Taking a deep breath and looking at her living, breathing former lover, she frowned, "Ms. Joan said your children come here?"

Tim nodded. "Yes, I have four children, two boys and two girls. From the youngest up, they are 22 months, 3 years and 4 ½ years."

"You're married?"

"I was. My wife died last year."

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Artie felt conflicted as she said the words. She was relieved Tim was single but sad that someone he'd loved had died, sorry that he'd been through bad times.

Tim nodded, "Artie, do you remember Lu Morgan?" He decided not to think right now about the strangeness of all this, standing in a daycare so many thousands of miles away from Boston and Cambridge, where they'd meant so much to each other. Or so he'd thought.

"Yes, I met her when she visited you and again at our graduation."

"She is grandmother to my children and lives here with us. Would you and Anna like to come to our house to talk about all this? It might be easier and I think Ms. Joan would like to close for the day."

"Yes, that's a good idea. I am sorry, Ms. Joan!"

"That's quite all right."

Anna had stopped crying when she heard the change in her mother's voice. Now she picked up her things and stood, "I'm ready, Mama. Are we going to eat? I'm hungry!"

Tim smiled, "How about coming for dinner, too?"

Artie looked at him, still blinking away tears, "Yes, thank you. I'm afraid if we don't go to your house now that I'll wake up and find this was a dream."

Tim huffed, "I know what you mean."

Still reeling, he led the way to the car, although Gibbs took the keys. "I think I'd better drive us home, Timson."

"Thanks, Dad. I'll call Lu."

They waited for Artemis before pulling out onto the street. When Tim told Lu who was coming for dinner, she was shocked to her core, "Artemis? Timmo, I don't understand!"

"I'm not sure I do either. But I might have another child."

"Get your butt home now!"

"Yes, Mama."

Gibbs pulled into their driveway, leaving room behind them for Artemis' vehicle. Tim's mind was beginning to clear and he had a few questions. The first one was about Anna's parentage. The second one was who told Artie that he was dead and what evidence had that person presented? Beyond that, everything was still a jumble although his heart was rejoicing, happy and excited that Artemis was here.

He and Gibbs escorted Artie and Anna into the house. The children were waiting and hugged their new friend. "Hi Anna, guess what? You're having dinner with us!"

The little girl grinned, "I know!"

"Come on, we have to wash our hands, you too."

"Ok." Anna looked at her mother who nodded, "Yes, go wash your hands and then introduce me to your friends."

As the children ran to the washroom, she shook her head, "This is real, isn't it?" She managed a smile as Lu joined them. "Hi, Lu, surprise!"

With a laugh, Lu gave her a hug, giving Tim a look. Tim squirmed, glad Charlie was away for a few days. Tony came in, surprised to find a beautiful stranger talking with Tim. When he was introduced to Artie, he smiled politely. All he knew of her was that she'd been Tim's girlfriend at MIT and dumped him. When he met Anna, he had a hard time not reacting or looking at Tim, she looked like the twins and, he would say, a female version of Tim. That couldn't be right, though, the girl was younger than his Tali, how could she be Tim's?

After the introductions, Tony, Dad and the children disappeared to help get dinner on the table and Tim drew Artie to one side. "Artie, is Anna mine?" As Artie had, he pronounced the "A" in Anna as 'Ahnna'.

"Yes, Timotheos, she is. Her name is Anna Sarai, which is Malayalam, a language of Malaysia and several other countries, for Sarah."

"Anna Sarai, that's beautiful. I'm so sorry, Artie. I wish I'd been there for you."

"I was told you were dead before I discovered I was pregnant. I was devastated, thinking of my horrible last words to you. When Anna was born and grew to look so much like you, I was grateful that you left me a gift. Your children are beautiful."

"All five of them are, yes, thank you. Where and when was Anna born?"

"In Greece, May 23rd, 2015. I lived with my yaya, my grandmother, while I was pregnant, and for several months after she was born. I didn't tell my parents about her until she was nearly a year old. Then I had a job offer, a commission in Austria and left the baby with Yaya for a few months and after that Anna traveled with me for my work. Tim, your wife…?"

"Was Delilah Fielding, the woman I'd been seeing, the one who asked to be transferred to Dubai and then broke up with me."

"You married her?"

Tim nodded. "When I left Boston after our weekend together, you said we couldn't see each other again, that our lives and goals were too different, we both loved what we do too much to change. I determined to finally move on from both you and Delilah.

"When she came home a few months later, we saw each other for coffee and eventually rekindled our relationship. We had things to work out, it took months to work through our issues before we decided we wanted a future together. We married and had our twins, John Charles and Morgan Elizabeth Annie, in November, 2017. She died in October 2019. That's a complex story I'll tell you later.

"A few months ago, Carly, an old friend of mine, also a single parent, died and in her will, asked me to raise her children, Henry and Emma. They joined our family in October. Artie, who told you I was dead?"

"My father. He heard about it from a friend, another diplomat. When Papa was told in a briefing that two American federal agents were shot down in Russia, he remembered you were a federal agent. When he asked his friend, who works in the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, if one of them was named Timothy McGee, the man said it was and that he'd died."

"Where is your father posted these days?"

"I haven't spoken with my parents since I told them about our daughter. However, my sister told me recently that he's been transferred to a post in Stockholm. I can't imagine how he will deal with the cold but I don't care anymore."

Lifting an eyebrow, he asked, "Do you remember the name of your father's friend?"

"Yes, it's Pavlenko, I don't remember his first name. Tim, I double checked, I did not just take his word for it, not something so important! I looked online for your name and there was information that you'd died but no details. I believed that was because it was a secret mission."

"It wasn't a secret mission and obviously I didn't die." Tim closed his eyes and then opened them again, "All right, well here we are. My first request is that you never mention my name to your father or mother again."

She nodded. "I promise I will not. He deliberately lied, didn't he? Do you think he even asked Pavlenko?"

"It depends when he asked. The only Pavlenko I knew who was involved in that mission died a few weeks later."

"Oh!" She sighed, "I have been so stupid, so naïve as to think he would only tell me the truth, that he cared about me."

Tim silently agreed, he'd known the man was a manipulative liar since he and Artie were together at MIT but he'd kept his mouth shut then and would continue to do so now. He wanted at least partial custody of his daughter and didn't think criticizing her mother would help his cause. And besides, this was Artemis, who still lived in his heart.

"Artie, that's why he insisted you move to Japan with them. He hated me."

"He never met you!"

"No, but he knew all about my childhood and what I looked like in photos while we were at MIT."

He recognized the look in her eyes, she was angry. Good, so was he and he could not wait to find out how a phony notice of his death had been put on the internet. Wondering if Kosmos Galanis would have bothered to go that far to cover up his lie, he mentally head-slapped himself, of course he would have! Anything to keep the homeless, penniless jerk away from his precious daughter. Obviously he hadn't done his homework or he would have discovered that adult Timothy McGee was far from penniless or homeless.

She started to say something just as Gibbs poked his head into the family room, "Dinner's on the table."

Stopping to wash their own hands, when they met again at the dinner table, Tim remembered his manners long enough to seat Artie, although he didn't sit next to her. He was feeling conflicted, confused and angry, although he was no longer angry with Artie. Irritated but not angry. The children sat in their usual spots, Anna with them and they all said grace.

The children watched the adults, knowing something odd was going on. Tony decided he could help by talking about something he'd read the other day about koalas, an animal dear to the heart of everyone there. That helped get them through dinner.

Tim and Artie did the dishes and cleaned up the kitchen, finding it was easier to talk while they were doing something fairly routine. Putting aside his other questions and issues, he wanted to know more about her life, starting with where she'd worked, besides Austria when Anna was a baby. He was impressed to hear that she'd worked in Berlin, Lyon, France, and Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic, before moving to Thailand for a project in Bangkok. From there, she, Anna and Susannah had moved to Perth for a project. Tim smiled, "The Skywalks?"

"Yes! Timotheos, how did you know?"

"I thought of you when I first saw them, how graceful they look, how strong I know they are and that they were what you dreamed of building."

"Oh, that's wonderful to hear, thank you!"

"What was your project in Bangkok? I've only been there once and it was on a criminal case but I did notice the architecture."

"It's an elevated walkway around one of their temple ponds that floods nearly every year."

"Does it go around a big pond, with a beautiful bridge crossing over the water? And is it the only elevated walkway around a temple pond in Bangkok?"

"Yes to all of that! You saw it?"

Tim chuckled, "I chased a suspect on that walkway and over the pond! Thank you for the strength of the railings on the bridge. He tried to jump over but I caught his arm and the railing supported us both."

"You could have fallen with him."

Tim nodded, "Yes, but we were over the pond. Unless there were very hungry fish in the water, we would have been all right. I just didn't want to desecrate the temple there. How long will you be here?"

"Not too much longer, our grand opening is the first day of spring."

"Where will you go then?"

She tilted her head, "When a project is completed, I usually take a month or more off in the city or country where we've been looking. Otherwise, Anna and I don't see very much! We don't plan to leave Australia until April, although sightseeing will be more difficult here than in other countries. We usually do road trips, here we will have to fly as I'm sure you know. As for my next project, I've had several offers, a few here in Australia. I went to Sydney to interview the planners of a project there and…"

Tim interrupted her, "When was that? I thought I saw someone on our flight home from Sydney a few months ago. I only saw the back of her but she reminded me of you. I couldn't find her on the plane, though."

She told him when it was, adding that she'd been bumped up to first class and he smiled, "We were in steerage, I mean Economy. I believe it was you I saw."

She teared up again. "I'm wrong, Timotheos, I've been wrong for so long. We are both here, in a country so far away from the U.S. and we meet. You thought the Skywalks were mine. You saw my work in Bangkok. I've seen the twins at the daycare and thought how they could have been our children, they look so much like you. I've driven by the NCIS office in the city and thought about going in, that maybe they knew of you, who you'd been. Timotheos, I banished the young girl I used to be, the one who dreamed of what could not be, but now I see I was wrong. Instead, I should have been considering how to make us work!"

He pulled her into his arms, "You mean we should listen to God, to the universe and figure out how to make our lives work together instead of apart?"

She was weeping now, with happiness and frustration that she'd kept them apart for so long. She nodded into his shoulder and he smiled, "It was your father's influence, Artie. He's the one that tore us apart the first time. And Boston is on both of us. I was confused and hurt because of Delilah and then there you were and we were together again. Then, when you said…what you said, I reacted angrily instead of recognizing that you were afraid of having to give up your life, the work you've wanted to do all your life. I understand, it's both of us. Our lives."

He managed a chuckle, "Want to hear something strange? If you'd gone into the office, even if I wasn't there, you would have met an agent who knew me before Russia."

She looked up, her mouth open, eyes wide. He nodded, "His name is Dwayne Wilson and he worked with Gibbs' team for a week several years ago, before we went to Russia. He didn't know me well then, but he would have recognized my name."

"And he would have known you're alive?"

"Yes. And if he wasn't there and I wasn't there, the office manager would have been there and she knows me."

"We have been led here."

"Seems like it. Have you decided where your next project is?"

She made a face, "Yes, I signed the contract and faxed it a week ago. In April, Anna and I will leave for Virginia. I've accepted a project at Georgetown University."

Tim grinned at her and she shook her head slightly, smiling, "What does that mean?"

"In April, I am being transferred back to our headquarters in Washington, DC. The same District of Columbia where Georgetown University is located."

Her mouth opened and then she shook her head again, "I shouldn't be surprised! Oh, Timotheos!"

"There's more."

"What more could there be?"

"This…" He pulled out his phone and showed her the photos of the Arlington house.

"Oh, it's beautiful! That architecture is based on ancient Greek architecture, you know."

"Yes, my dear civil engineer-architect. The house reminded me of all the conversations we had about architecture, engineering and ancient Greece. I bought it while Lu and I were there for Henry and Emma."

She laughed, "Well, I do like to talk! But this is amazing, there are so many things."

"Yes, there have been. Artie, will you marry me?"

"You always have been impetuous. Yes, I will marry you!"

"Soon, before we leave Australia. I'd like you and Anna to have time to become part of the family. And will Anna take my name or should she use whatever she's using now?"

"She's Midei now, my great-grandfather's name. I'm legally Galanis but I've begun working as Artemis Midei and I will legally change my surname, to further remove myself from my horrible father."

"Will Susannah mind that?"

"No, she feels the same way. Oh, she doesn't know yet! How wonderful that she was called into work today, else I would not have picked Anna up."

"Susannah would have recognized me, wouldn't she?"

"I hope so but it happened the way it did, let's leave it at that. What about your children, the twins' mother has only been gone a year and your friend more recently?"

"Yes and you're right, before we make any announcements, I need to sit down with them and tell them about us. But first, Anna needs to know I'm her father!"

"I'll get her in a minute; however, I have something for us to consider. I've heard horror stories about non-citizens trying to marry in countries where they are only permitted to live because they have jobs there. You're an American citizen, I'm a citizen of the Hellenic Republic. Why not wait until we're back in the country where we met for our wedding? Then all your friends from Baltimore could come and I will ask those who knew me at MIT and later in Boston." She smiled, "That will also give our families time to get to know one another. I understand your wish to marry as soon as possible but Anna will begin using your surname tomorrow – or on Monday; it is already on her birth certificate. Timotheos, I believed you were dead. And…I know you've already had a wedding, but this will be my one and only."

Tim smiled, "We got married in our apartment, shortly after we discovered we were pregnant. Gibbs and our workmates were the only ones there."

"Oh! Then we do need a proper wedding!"

"Yes, but you're right, there isn't a need to rush. We're engaged now. Will you move in with us?"

She smiled, "Yes, Timotheos, we'll move in with you, after Susannah leaves in 6 weeks. That will give the two of us more time to learn each other again."

Tim huffed, "All right, that makes sense. Where's your sister going?"

"She's moving to Edinburgh to live with her boyfriend and start a new job."

"Wow, that's a big move. I'm looking forward to seeing her, all grown up! Good for her moving to Scotland." He looked at his new fiancée, "Let's tell Anna about us!"

"I'll bring her." Artie left the kitchen in search of their daughter. She found her upstairs in the playroom and smiled at her, "Sweetie, Tim and I would like to speak with you."

Anna smiled, "All right, Mama." She wasn't sure what was happening but her mother was happy so she would be too. She waved at the other kids as she left.

Following her mother back to the kitchen, Anna smiled again when she saw Tim. She liked him, feeling safe and comfortable with him.

She sat down and her mother told her that she'd been wrong about her papa being dead, that Tim, this man here, was her papa, her father. Anna's whole face lit up and she smiled even wider when her new papa hugged her, welcoming her to his family. Then he corrected himself, "It'll soon be _our_ family, Anna. However, first I need to talk to your sisters and brothers."

She looked at him and her mouth opened again. "Henry, Jace, Lizbet and Emma?"

"Yes, they are your brothers and sisters. And Tali is your cousin."

"Wow, that's awesome! When will you tell them?"

"Right now, if you want to wait here with your mama?"

She nodded and as Tim left, he leaned over to kiss the top of her head. She giggled at that. "Mama, I really like him and all the kids. Will we live with them?"

"Yes, sweetie, although we don't have all the details sorted yet. First I have to tell Aunty Susannah!"

Upstairs, Tim was glad it wasn't quite time for Emma's bath. He smiled at the children as he walked into the playroom. The kids frowned, where was Anna? Lizbet volunteered the information that Uncle Tony had come for Tali and Tim nodded, thinking the kitchen probably hadn't been the most private place for he and Artie to bare their souls.

Sitting them down, Emma in his lap, he smiled. "Before Delilah and I decided to date, Artemis, Anna's mom, was my girlfriend. We didn't live in the same place and she traveled a lot in her job and I traveled a lot in my job. So we decided not to be boyfriend and girlfriend anymore. Then Delilah came home from Dubai and wanted us to be boyfriend and girlfriend and then we got married and had Lizbet and Jace. What none of us knew was that Artemis had a baby, that's Anna and that I am Anna's father! That means Anna is your sister, how about that!"

"She is, wow, Daddy, that's really good!"

The four of them cheered and then danced around a little. Then Henry stopped, "Daddy, did you know before you heard Anna crying at Ms. Joan's?"

"No, son, I did not know. You see, a bad person told Artemis that I was dead, that I got hurt on my job and died."

"Like our mommies? Did the bad person say you went to heaven?"

"I don't think the bad person did, although Artemis thought so. But she was sad and missed me, like we miss your mommies."

They nodded solemnly and he continued. "Now, Anna and her mom live here in Merriwa. How about in a few weeks, they move in with us?"

They nodded smiling. Lizbet was obviously thinking about something and Tim waited. Finally she asked, "Daddy, are you going to marry Artemis?"

"Yes. We want to get married."

"Will she be our new mommy?"

"If you'd like her to be, yes. She'll be your mommy here on earth."

"Because our other mommies are in heaven?"

"Yes. First, we'll get to know each other better. You four know Anna because of day care, but I don't know her and Artemis doesn't know you. We'll have dinners together, picnics in the park, on the beach, go swimming, have fun together before they move in with us."

"What about Anna's auntie?" That was Henry.

"She's leaving in March but until she leaves, she'll be part of us, too."

"Good, she's nice."

Jace smiled, "I'm glad, Daddy, now you won't be sad anymore."

"Thank you, Jace. I'll always miss your mother, I loved her very much. And I'm grateful that I have you to remind me of her. Henry, Emma, it's the same with your mother. We were close friends and loved each other as friends. I'll always miss her, too and I'm grateful I have you to remind me of her."

"Will we still celebrate Mommy's birthday?"

"Yes, both Mommy Delilah's and Mommy Carly's birthdays."

"Good!"

"Daddy, when is Anna's birthday?"

"May 23rd, sweetie."

"Oh, I was hoping we could share with her."

Henry smiled, "She's 5, older than me!"

"Yes, sweet boy, she's almost a year older than you are. She's in kindergarten, that's why you only see her in the afternoons."

They talked some more and after Tim felt that they were happy about the changes, they walked downstairs together, Tim carrying Emma and holding Jace's hand. Anna and Artie were still in the kitchen and Artie smiled in relief and happiness when the kids hugged Anna and then, a little shyly, hugged her. Henry stood up straight, "Daddy says you'll be our new mother."

"Yes, if that's all right with you."

"Anna calls you Mama, is that what we should call you?"

"Yes, please, when you're ready."

"What do we have to be ready for?"

She smiled, "For me to be your new mama."

Lizbet looked at her siblings, "We're ready now, Mama. We have Grama Lu, Poppy, Grandpa Charlie, Granducky, Uncle Tony, Aunty Sarah, Cousin Tali and lots more uncles but we don't have a mama."

"You do now!"

"Yay!" They swarmed her and she welcomed each one, hugging and kissing them. In the meantime, Lu, Jethro and Tony got tired of waiting to be called in and appeared in the kitchen.

Tim picked Anna up, "Honey, I'd like you to meet Poppy, he's my papa and one of your grandfathers, Grama Lu, who is my mama and your grandmother and Uncle Tony, who is my brother and your uncle. This is your cousin Tali, who is Uncle Tony's daughter."

She hugged and kissed each one and then the kids, bursting with news, said, "Daddy and our new mama are getting married! They're gonna live here with us!"

Tim looked at his parents and brother. "I've asked Artemis to marry me and she's accepted. We won't have the wedding until we're back in the States, first we need time to grow together as a couple and as a family."

Lu was so happy she was afraid she was going to cry, and then realized she was already crying! Tony hugged his little brother and gave a gentle, familial hug to Artemis and Anna. Gibbs was beaming as he welcomed his newest grandchild and Artemis to the family. Then he hugged and kissed his son, very proud of him. He'd known that Artemis had been Tim's first love and now was glad the universe had pushed them together again. However, he was also relieved they wouldn't marry for several months. He knew how impulsive his son could be and believed he and Artie needed time together to get to know each other. His grandchildren would need time, too.

Tim sent out emails that night, trying to find a common time for Geordie, who had duty shifts, their Baltimore brothers, Ducky, the Palmers, Sarah and Rob to join in a Skype call. Charlie would be home Sunday evening but Tim would tell him privately.

Tim felt a little strange after Anna and Artie left for home, which was about 2 miles away, trying to get it all straight in his mind. In the course of a few hours, he'd discovered he had another child, found his old love who believed he was dead, straightened that out, become engaged and now they'd gone home for the night. That last was so ordinary in an evening that had been so extraordinary that Tim just shook his head, laughing. Routine and schedules were important when young children were involved, no matter how wonderful the changes were.

Heeding his own advice, Tim helped his littles with their nighttime routines before sitting down with his laptop and updating his agency records. First he changed his status from 'widowed' to 'other – engaged'. Then he listed Anna Midei-McGee, with her birthdate, as his daughter and finally he entered Artie's name as his fiancée with her current contact information.

After that, he found his dad, Lu and Tony in the family room, talking about the changes. Lu shook her head when he walked in, "You! I never know what you're up to when you leave the house!" She grinned, "I'm so happy for you, Timmo, and so proud. I won't say this when Charlie's around, but I've always thought that Artie was your true love."

Tim nodded, "I know, Malu, you've said that a few times and I've never disagreed. However, I believe people can have and love more than one mate. I truly loved Dee with everything I had and I'll always treasure our time together and be thankful for our wonderful children."

"This feels right, son?"

"Yes, Dad. When Henry and Lizbet kept pushing and pulling me to see whoever was crying, I had no idea what was going on. When Anna looked up and asked if I was her papa, I told her I didn't know. She looks so much like me as a little kid, a feminine version of me. Bowed lip and all."

Tony chuckled, "You know, it's a little funny because Lizbet and Jace have Dee's hair color, your eyes and skin tone. Anna has dark hair, her mother's lovely skin tone, with your features, including eye color. However, in some ways, Henry and Emma look more like you than your biological children do."

Tim nodded, "I thought about that too. Their father likely hailed from the British Isles, same as mine, and I know Carly was English and German. Whereas the other three are a mixture of their mothers and me."

"What was Dee?"

"English and Scots from Charlie, German and Portuguese from her mother."

Gibbs was remembering Delilah's parents, "Right after the twins were born, her parents visited, although her dad wasn't Charlie. I remember you saying they were staying through Hanukkah."

"Yes, that was Dee's stepdad, Mark Sprague, with Liz, they married when Dee was 11. He was Jewish and Liz converted."

Tony asked if Artemis was 100% Greek and Tim nodded. "Although if you study Greek history, you'll see all the uh, influences from other countries, including the Nazis during World War II. Still, she can trace her ancestry back at least 700 years."

Lu smiled, "And she's not royalty? After watching all the finding your ancestry shows, and seeing all the people descended from Charlemagne or other royalty, it seems like they're the only ones who can go back that far."

Gibbs huffed, shaking his head, "My cousin found that our branch of the Gibbs family got started 200 years ago, in the early 1800s. A Gibbs married Martha Rowe, whose family had been in the state of Maine since before the Mayflower. Her three times great-grandfather was our original immigrant ancestor, came over from England during the reign of Elizabeth the first, about 1560."

Tim nodded, "I've read historical novels about Chesapeake Bay and New York and there were all kinds of settlers who came over years before the Mayflower. The British, Spanish and Dutch were already here by 1620. That's pretty cool that the Rowe-Gibbses were here by then!"

"That's right, I remember we talked about that. So I, or my cousin, can trace our ancestry in North America back about 450 years and in Europe, another 100. It's not 700 years, but that's pretty good for an English merchant without a drop of royal blood."

Tony chuckled, "Besides, your ancestry information came from two countries, not just one."

Changing the subject, Lu asked when Tim and Artie would marry.

"After we're home and settled in. We want to take a few days for a honeymoon, so we'll have to figure out when we can both be away from the children and our jobs. Mostly her work. We're thinking probably September."

Lu tilted her head, "You know we'll be there for the kids."

Tim smiled, "Yeah, I do. She's not used to that yet, give her time. Also, she's cut the ties with her parents. They did not react well to Anna's birth and Kosmos Galanis was the one who told Artie I was dead."

"Thanks for letting us know. How long will her DC project take?"

"Over a year. She's confident she'll make plenty of contacts in the area to continue working around there."

"In the region, great!"

"It's not as big a worry as it was 6 years ago. She's built and continues to build, a strong reputation for her creativity and responsibility."

He told them about thinking he'd seen her on their flight from Sydney to Perth on the way back from Coffs Harbor. When they'd compared dates, he was right, he had seen her!

After Tim and Tony went upstairs to bed, Lu and Gibbs talked for a couple of hours about Tim and Artemis as well as their own future. They'd both realized, as Tim told them what he and Artie talked about, how big a coincidence it was that both of them landed in Merriwa at the same time, how they'd even been on the same flight, their kids were at the same daycare. They were happy for the couple and even happier for themselves.

Although they hadn't said anything to the family, their relationship was growing and they were to the point now that Lu wanted to move in with Jethro. Now they decided to do that formally when Artie and Anna moved in. They thought Charlie could have Lu's current room and they'd use the extra bedroom downstairs as a separate living area for themselves. If that was all right with Tim, of course.

When Charlie came home that Sunday afternoon, he found several things had changed in the four days he'd been away. When Tim told him he'd reconnected with his college sweetheart, he was pleased. When he heard that he also had a new granddaughter, he was surprised and pleased. He thought he should feel a little bad that the girl wasn't his daughter's child but he didn't and finally decided not to worry about it. He knew about his daughter's life in Dubai, had despaired when she broke up with Tim and rejoiced when she returned to the U.S. and made things right with the young man. When he thought about it later, he had a chuckle that Tim wasn't alone after Dee dumped him.

He loved the four grandchildren Tim shared with him and now would love little Anna as well. Nor was he upset that Tim was remarrying, he told his son-in-law that if anything, he was relieved. In turn, Tim was so relieved he nearly cried and Charlie was moved that he'd been so worried. When Tim told him that Artie's father was out of the picture because he'd lied to her about Tim being dead, he was incensed and truthfully, not sorry that he'd still be Tim's only father-in-law.

When the twins were born, Dee and Tim made it plain they wanted him to play an active role in their family. Unfortunately, it had been difficult to do with Liz around. Charlie finally talked with Dee who realized two things: that her father had stayed away when she was a child for the sake of keeping the peace in the family and that she had no intention of letting that happen with his grandchildren. She'd told her mother and father that each would be welcome, separately and that if either showed up unexpectedly when the other was visiting, a trick that Dee's mother frequently employed, the unexpected grandparent would be staying in a hotel and scheduling visits around the expected grandparent's time. Her mother was so outraged she stayed away for months, much to Charlie's delight and Dee's chagrin. Tim stayed out of it and eventually Liz got over her pique and returned, quietly scheduling her visit.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

Over the next 6 weeks, Tim and Artemis spent most of their off hours with each other and the children, although Tim didn't neglect Tony, his parents or Geordie when he was home.

They had fun with their Skype call with everyone in Baltimore, London, Edinburgh and Darwin. Susannah asked that her boyfriend Ian be included and since Artie expected him to be her brother-in-law in the not too distant future, that was fine. They had their own surprise waiting for them in London as Sarah introduced her boyfriend, another Brit, this one named James Powell.

As Sarah and Rob knew Artie well, there were cheers and squeals when she appeared on screen and even more when Tim introduced his 'new' daughter Anna whose middle name, Sarai, was a version of the name Sarah. The guys in Baltimore hadn't met Artie but they'd heard many good things about her from Tim when he moved back to Maryland after transferring to the Navy Yard. Now Joe, Barry, Bill and Freddie gave her, Anna and Susannah a hearty welcome to the family.

Tim had always put the responsibility for Artie's forced departure from their lives in Cambridge squarely on the shoulders of Kosmos Galanis. As for their second parting after their weekend in Boston, Tim had kept that mostly to himself until Paraguay. At the time he and Artie met that week, he'd already been in pain from the breakup with Dee and afterward hoped anyone who noticed would continue to blame that for any further show of grief and anger.

Ducky, who always kept an eye on his younger friends, was the only one he told at the time. At the doctor's insistence, he'd stayed with him for several days to ensure he ate and slept, until Ducky was satisfied he was over the worst of it. If Gibbs suspected or knew, he never said, not even when Tim talked about Boston when they were in their cell in Paraguay.

With all that, the Skype call was a lot of fun and Henry and to the extent she understood, Emma, enjoyed no longer being the 'new kids'. They knew Aunty Sarah and all the Uncles, except for the new one, Ian, who lived on the same island as Aunty Sarah and Uncle Rob.

Ian was a bit overwhelmed; he didn't even know Susannah's sister that well. However, he did know his girlfriend and her niece, Anna, and so concentrated on them. Much later, when he and James Powell met in person, they had a good laugh together at their unexpected and rather terrifying McGee family debut.

As Susannah packed for her move to Edinburgh and her new life with Ian, she again marveled at the timing. She'd been so worried about Anna and then her niece's father, believed to be dead, shows up very much alive in a completely different country thousands of miles from his homeland.

The morning her sister told her Tim was alive, she'd been very concerned for Artemis. When Anna confirmed that she'd met her papa, she wondered. When she was driven to the large house they frequently passed and she saw Timotheos McGee, alive and well, for herself, she thought she was probably as happy as Artemis and Anna. She knew she cried, happy that such a wonderful person hadn't been taken from them after all and that her sister was finally going to have the 'happily ever after' they'd both wanted since they were children. She also realized that their father had probably deliberately lied to Artemis about Tim's death and they commiserated with each other over that.

When Artemis asked her to keep the news from their parents, she readily agreed. If she weren't so afraid of their father tracking her down and dragging her home with him, she would have stopped any communications with them. As it was, she sent one very short 'everything is fine, working hard, etc.' letter every 6 weeks. They had no idea she was moving in with Ian, she had not yet told them anything about him. Artemis felt she should start mentioning his name so they'd be used to hearing about him when they became engaged. Susannah was still thinking about that.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

While Tim and Artie were enjoying each other's company and he and Anna were becoming acquainted, Tim also did some investigating into the online report of his death. He'd first checked with Tony, in case the agency had placed a false report to help them evade problems in Russia. That wasn't it.

When Artemis told him how she'd searched for him, by using his last address to eliminate the thousands of other Tim McGees, he did the same thing. When he found the original entry, he also found an addendum, noting that it was dated several months after Artie's heartbreaking search.

While it contained the original notice, someone, possibly the staff of the search engine, had tagged it as a fraudulent death notice. When Tim looked into it further, he leaned back in surprise. It looked like the tag had been ordered by the State Department. He smiled, wondering if they'd caught on to Kosmos Galanis' scam. Too bad they hadn't notified his daughter but then they'd have no way of knowing how personal this was.

His smile grew bigger as he remembered he knew someone at State, someone who might be able to tell him a little more. However, before he contacted anyone in Washington, he'd visit the U.S. consulate in Perth. He wanted a second passport for Anna, anyway. She had dual citizenship in the U.S. and the Hellenic Republic, she might as well have passports for both.

On Monday, he called the consulate, explaining who he was and what he needed as far as Anna's passport, adding that he also had a strange experience online that seemed linked to the State Department. That got their attention and he was given an appointment later that day. Working through lunch, he left for his appointment, making sure to let Glynee know.

When he met with the consular officer with whom he'd spoken, she was attentive as he reiterated what he'd told her earlier. Then she nodded, "There have been instances where things like this have happened. Not just the false notices, you and I know how easy that can be. But that someone will find it and do something about it. The only way I can think of that this happened, the removal, is that your name might have come up as deceased when input for a flight reservation. The airline might have turned it in for investigation and it came to us in case it was a 'no fly' person trying to get around the restriction. The removal was processed by the search engine company, at our request, four months after it was originally posted. Let's see if there's anything in file about the original poster."

She was quiet again as she looked through files and then shook her head, "Do you know anyone in the Hellenic Republic's Foreign Ministry?"

"I know of someone, yes, although I've never met him."

"That's why it came to us. The name is Kosmos Galanis and he, or someone using his username and password, placed the false death notice online so it would be picked up by that particular search engine. Although for us to know it came from them means he was using their servers, you'd think their security would be tighter in this day and age.

"Anyway, it looks like an airline with whom you have a membership posted an inquiry to that same search engine three months later. Their inquiry said they were compiling your frequent flier miles and checking that your address was current when the death notice came up online. As their records showed that you'd flown with them twice since your reported death, they sent an inquiry to that company.

"When the company in turn investigated, they saw where the death notice originated and sent the inquiry and the notice to us, State, asking for our help and advice. You must be a frequent user as they also included a long list of dates and times you or your user ID and password had used that same search engine since your supposed death.

"We authorized the removal of the notice, replied to the inquiry thanking them for helping to clear up a mess and telling them that their customer was alive as per all our records. Then we sent a strongly worded complaint to the Greeks, with the original poster's username and ID, about them messing with one of our citizens. There's a note in file apologizing profusely, saying they were investigating. There's one more thing, the online company sent notice to other search engine companies about the user and he's been banned from all of them."

Tim didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He sat quietly for a minute, finally saying, "He's my fiancée's father. How can I stop him from messing with us or his other daughter, who's about to be engaged?"

"I'm not a lawyer but if it were me, I'd hire a lawyer and prepare a letter, show him a copy of some of the evidence and then tell him you're going to sue him and the Hellenic Republic's Foreign Ministry for damages to your reputation as a federal agent and a responsible citizen. Or something along that line."

Tim smiled then, "You know, I use that particular search engine extensively in my work, we all do. I'll talk to our Legal Department, this could have seriously impeded our criminal investigations if it hadn't been discovered and removed."

"So the Greek guy could be seen as obstructing justice?"

"Criminal intent to obstruct US Federal investigations, yes."

"Ooh, I like that! Let me know if you need anything from me, I'll be glad to be a witness or anything."

Tim shook his head, "Thanks. I am also hoping I can get a passport for our daughter before we move home in April." He explained the whole situation, including the death notice and felt better as he saw the anger in the woman's face.

She interrupted, saying, "I'd make sure you tell your Legal folks that. And yes, Anna can have an American passport, do you have her birth certificate…thank you." Tim handed her a certified copy of Anna's birth certificate. "Huh, okay, this needs to be shown to your attorney. Anna's mother had to mark you as Deceased, thus depriving your daughter of her father. Now, because we went through the other situation first, I understand what's happened and will authorize a change to her birth certificate, an amendment that will be attached to this one until her new birth certificate is issued. That will take about three months as they have to be handled in DC. In the meantime, her passport will be processed and ready in the next couple of weeks. She's here as a dependent while her mother, your fiancée, has a work visa?"

"Yes."

"All right, since you're leaving in April, I'll note the files, hers and yours but we don't need to revise it."

Tim felt both better and worse as he left the consulate. Looking at the time, he went back to the office, finding Glynee the only one there. "They were called out to Sydney, a dead Navy Lieutenant. There were three seats open on the next flight so they ran out of here. If the dog tags aren't ours, they'll be back tomorrow."

Tim nodded, "Okay. Did you get a lunch break?"

"Yes, thanks."

"I'm here until the usual time, then tomorrow morning I hope to be in at 6:00 AM for a couple of calls with DC."

"All right. Do you need me in early?"

"No, but thanks for asking. Here, how about you stop on your way in, on work time, and get us some pastries. Please, no donuts though!" He handed her some money.

She grinned, "I know where there's a wonderful Greek bakery."

"Awesome, go for it! Is that enough?"

She laughed, "It had better be, it's just the two of us. Or were you planning to take some home?"

"No, my fiancée and her sister make great Greek pastries. But I'll need comfort food tomorrow and I don't want to wait until either of them have time to bake."

"What are your favorites?"

Tim told her and she wrote them down.

He sent a text to Vance, scheduling it to be sent in several hours, saying he'd sent him an email about a situation that he felt the agency, i.e., the Director and the Legal Department, should know about. Was it possible to have a Skype call at 5:00 PM on their Monday?

Then he wrote the email, writing in bullet form which helped him remain fairly objective and organized. He was still reviewing it when he had a call from the consular officer who'd helped him earlier.

"Agent McGee, I've been quietly asking around and the general consensus here is that you contact your Legal Department but not your director. They should be the ones who decide whether or not the director needs to know."

"You caught me just in time, thanks for the advice!"

Finding the text he'd scheduled to be sent later, he deleted it and then addressed a new one to the head of the NCIS Legal Department, Ms. Horner. Returning to the draft of his email, he copied the information to a new email, addressing it to Ms. Horner. After he finished and sent it, he deleted the original draft. It was cleaner that way.

It was time to go home by the time he sent it. He and Glynee left the office at the same time.

Deciding to wait until after the call with the Legal Department to say anything to his fiancée or parents, Tim spent a pleasant evening with his family. Susannah and Charlie worked together on a recipe new to all of them and their dinner was delicious. The kids, Tony, Tim and Artie cleaned up afterwards. At some point, Tim received an answer from Ms. Horner that yes, 5:00 PM Monday, DC time would be fine for a Skype call and that she'd received his email.

Artie joined Tim for Emma's nighttime routine and the little girl had fun singing to her bath toys, joined by her new mama. Emma knew Daddy didn't sound very good when he sang. She didn't mind, he told wonderful stories and read favorite books, making up voices for everyone in the books.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

Tim was at the office by 5:45 AM the next morning for his call at 6:00 AM Perth time. Setting up in Observation, he pinged Horner and nodded as she answered. He said good afternoon while she said good morning. Saying she'd had time to read his email, thanking him for using bullet points, and do some of her own research, she told him what she planned to do. This had been a serious incursion against a Federal Agent and NCIS which could have had, and for all they knew, had had, serious consequences for the agency as well as affecting one of their lead agents professionally as well as personally.

She'd already drafted a letter to the Minister of Foreign Affairs for the Hellenic Republic, which would also be sent to the U.S. Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of the Navy. She'd already informed Director Vance, who sent his regrets that he wasn't available for the meeting and agreed with Attorney Horner's plan of action. Ms. Horner also said that she'd drafted an inquiry to the search engine's parent company, asking if they had since installed measures to prevent such scurrilous attacks.

While Tim approved of her plan, he was worried about publicity, he did not want the agency or his family, specifically his fiancée and their daughter, to have their names in the news. She agreed, telling him how she planned to address that and although he found it a bit alarming, when he stepped back to look at it more objectively, he agreed it had been a cyber-attack on his fiancée, him and their unborn daughter and by virtue of his profession, on NCIS.

After the call, he found an email from Vance saying he would call him from home at 8:00 AM Perth time, in about 90 minutes.

Tim made a pot of coffee, waiting impatiently for it to brew. Once done, he refilled his travel mug before walking into the main office and sitting at his desk. He was working on cold cases when Glynee came in about 7:45, carrying a box of Greek pastries. Greeting her and thanking her for stopping to get the pastries, he helped himself to one only, eating it as slowly as he could stand. Remembering Ty's chocolate-y face from donuts, he washed his hands and face before Vance's call. When the director did call, Tim answered the ping on his phone, remaining at his desk. Glynee and the others would know about all this at some point and he was tired of the Observation room.

"Good evening, Director."

"Good morning, Tim. Horner says your conversation went well. How are you holding up?"

"Objectively, fine. Otherwise…you know, sir. Hang on for a minute, please?"

With a sheepish smile aimed in Glynee's direction, Tim headed back into Observation.

"Sorry, I was about to make a comment about my family's privacy when I realized I should be speaking in private. I'm in the Observation room now. What I was going to say is that I'm praying our lives won't be played out in public."

Vance huffed, "Couple things to consider. One, the Greek Foreign Ministry has kept this quiet for several years and now that we're involved, I imagine they'll be even more desperate to keep it out of the news, which is fine with us, too. I imagine the creep in question will be quietly fired and prosecuted for 1) a Cyber Attack against an officer of the U.S. Government and by nature of your employment, the NCIS and U.S. Navy, could go all the way to the Department of Defense and 2) using his government credentials and equipment to do so. He'll be lucky if he's out of prison in this century."

The director sighed, "It won't bring back the years your fiancée spent mourning you, nor the years your daughter had no father while you missed years of her childhood. That's pain and suffering and I believe that would have to be litigated through a civil lawsuit."

Tim nodded, "Artemis and I discussed it and she has been talking with her sister about doing that. At this point we've decided a civil suit is not in our best interests. If Galanis is still employed after the dust has settled, then we'll pursue it. Otherwise, it seems pointless. Money won't help erase the past. We hope to work through this privately and keep moving forward. And I haven't yet told anyone but Artie about my visit to the consulate yesterday or the calls today. I'll tell them tonight."

"All right, so I won't call Gibbs for a couple of days. Timothy, how are you doing with all this? You've had so much thrown at you in the past year and a half, I'm concerned."

Tim smiled, "Thank you for your concern, Director. As I said, we're moving forward, I'm moving forward. It's really on me that I didn't know about Anna. If I'd followed up with Artie as I'd been taught to do, and had done in the past, I would have known and Artie would have known I was alive. But I didn't. We had back to back cases and then Delilah came home and wanted to start over. I'm not happy with what I did or didn't do; however, Artie's forgiven me and that's the best we can do, I can't change history.

"We're together now, finally, and will raise our children together, with the help of our family. She and her sister are very close, her sister is about to be engaged to a nice guy in Edinburgh and she and Artemis are very close to their grandmother, who lives near Athens. Charlie, Dee's father, is happy for me, approves of Artemis and is pleased to be one of Anna's grandfathers, the others being Gibbs and Ducky. My sister and younger brother know Artie from our years in Cambridge and are happy for us. Sarah thanked Artie for joining the family and bringing Susannah with her, saying we need more women in the family. As she was the only girl until Dee and I married and Lu became more involved with us, I agree. The kids are doing well with the changes and are happy to have a new mama, although they're still mourning their mothers."

"You sound all right, considering everything that's happened."

"Thanks, sir. I'm grateful that Artie and I reconnected, here in one of the most isolated cities in the world, that the children are doing well, that Gibbs is alive and doing well in his recovery. There's more about him, happy news but I'll let him tell you."

"Wouldn't have anything to do with Ms. Lu Morgan, would it?"

Tim just looked at him and Vance laughed, "I ran into Fornell at a meeting. He might have said something."

That brought an eye roll and a smile, which Vance knew was all he'd get from his agent and friend.

Changing the topic to ideas he had for the future, the two of them talked for several more minutes before disconnecting.

Feeling more settled than after the call with the attorney, Tim returned to his desk. He grinned at Glynee, "Hello again. Anything exciting happening?"

She raised an eyebrow and he chuckled, "Besides my personal soap opera, I mean."

Grinning, she shook her head and then looked at him, "May I ask you something? It's personal."

He winced and then shrugged, "As long as you keep our conversation between us, yes."

"I'm confused about the woman who died and left you Henry and Emma and the new woman and her daughter."

Tim nodded. "Carly, who was Henry and Emma's mother, and I met as freshmen at Johns Hopkins University. We were both 15, younger than everyone else. We were also both very poor. Even with my full ride scholarship, Sarah, Rob and I continued to live at the transient camp. Carly left her abusive parents, found a sponsor and become an emancipated minor at the age of 14. So we had that in common. We became friends and stayed friends through our time at JHU. Our deal was that if one of us started dating someone else, we wouldn't see each other and that's the relationship we had. When I started dating my late wife Delilah in 2013, I told Carly and I never saw her after that. When Dee and I married, I let Carly know.

"As for Artemis, we met our first day of class at MIT. She was 16, I was 18, going for my masters and doctorate. Again, both of us were on full rides. Because she was under age, she lived with one of our professors and his wife, they were her legal guardians until she turned 18. Anyway, we hit it off and were inseparable for the next few years. Although I still had my younger siblings with me, Artie and I talked about our futures. She earned her undergraduate degree, her masters and her doctorate while we were there, she's brilliant. She's a civil engineer with a second degree and masters in architecture. You know the Skywalks here in the city?"

Glynee nodded and Tim smiled proudly, "Those are hers! She designed them and is overseeing their construction. As far as the rest of our history, her father, who was a career diplomat for the Greek government, did not want her involved with a former homeless, penniless kid without any family or background. When he was transferred to Japan from San Francisco, he insisted that she go with them. He put so much pressure on her that she almost had a breakdown. Without the strength or the financial means to defy him, she went and I thought that was the end of us. I worked in the area until I was accepted to FLETC and went to work for NCIS.

"Years later, after Dee and I broke up in 2014, Boss sent me to Boston to bring back a suspect who'd been caught there. He knew the breakup was hitting me hard and hoped a change of scenery would help. When I got there, the suspect had been taken to the hospital with pneumonia and my orders were to stay in the area until he was well enough for transport. I was in town, wandering around to some of my old haunts when I ran into Artie! This is about 10 or 11 years after she left for Japan. Anyway, she had a project in the area. We spent the weekend together and then she decided that we were both too tied up with our jobs, jobs we both loved, to have any kind of life together. In other words, she dumped me. Two women in the same month, that was a record, even for me.

"A few months later, Dee was transferred back to the U.S. from Dubai and called, wanting to meet for coffee. I went, she apologized for her actions, we restarted our relationship and eventually got married and had the twins."

"What happened to Artie, why didn't she tell you she was pregnant?"

"One, because I'm a jerk and totally forgot to check back with her and two, because she believed I'd been killed through my work."

"Oh my God, Tim! How?"

"Her father the diplomat. This is what he told Artemis. In a briefing he heard that two American federal agents had been shot down in Russia. That much was true, Gibbs and I were shot down in Russia. However, her father had a friend who was a Russian diplomat and he supposedly asked the friend if Timothy McGee was one of the agents. According to Papa dearest, his buddy said yes and that I'd died. Of course Papa contacted Artemis and smugly told her that I was dead. Hoping he's wrong, she looks online and finds an article that says I died in Russia but not much else. She thought it was probably a secret mission and believed it. She believed it until recently when she was told the children of Tim McGee, an American who worked in Perth, went to the same daycare as her daughter Anna. And then she turned around and saw me standing behind her. That's how that all happened."

"Oh, that evil man! To do something so mean to his daughter, granddaughter and you!"

Tim smiled, "NCIS reports to the Department of the Navy which is part of the Department of Defense. That means the Secretary of Defense is my boss's boss's boss. When I went to the consulate yesterday, to see about a US passport for Anna, I told the officer what happened and I realized that in falsely declaring my death, he'd broken several laws. Including conducting a cyber attack against an officer of the U.S. government. His ass is, as they say, grass."

"That's what the calls have been about?"

"Mostly. I met with the head of NCIS' Legal Department this morning and then the director called me later to see how I was doing and to talk about the situation."

"You know him, he knows you?"

Tim smiled, "I was part of the top team in the agency for over a decade, we worked closely with him. Saw him nearly every day. Because of my techy background, he also had me work with the CCU at headquarters and I've done several special projects for him or through him."

"Through him?"

"Gibbs says Vance was afraid I'd be poached by the larger, more powerful agencies. To help prevent that, he'd accept requests for me to do this or that for another agency, as long as it would also benefit NCIS and was subject to my available time. And apart from me speaking with the other agency's techies, no one else was allowed to contact me directly."

"Did you get paid for that?"

"Bonuses, yes."

"Do you still do that?"

"I did while I still had the team. Since switching to liaison and training work, I haven't had time."

Glynee looked at him, "Are you still leaving this year?"

He looked surprised, "I'm sorry, I've really fallen down on communicating with you. Yes, we're leaving in April, moving to the house I bought in Virginia when we were there in October. My fiancée's work in Perth will be complete by then."

"Wow, that's happening soon!"

Tim nodded, "I know. We'll have to start sorting soon, what to donate, what to take. It's a good thing we're not getting married here!"

"Darn it! I was looking forward to that."

"Artemis and I are finally together, where we need to be. However, our kids are new to each other and to having two parents, except for the twins. We want to let them become used to all of us as a family; Henry and Emma have only been with us for four months and Anna needs time to adjust, too. And we want a nice wedding, not a rushed one."

When Glynee's phone rang, Tim returned to his cold case. Hannah called his cell around 2:00. "Tim, Dwayne and Ty have been injured in a vehicle accident and are in the hospital. They'll be all right, a little banged up but need to stay overnight for observation."

"Are you all right and was the accident anything to do with the case?"

"I wasn't in the car, thanks, and no, it wasn't related to the case."

"Homicide?"

"Double."

"All right, hang tight, I'll check in with the boss and let you know who's joining you. Might be me, might not be. Whoever it is will be there as quickly as possible."

"Thanks."

As he hung up, Glynee said, "There are seats available on the 5:30 flight."

Tim nodded his thanks as he called SSAIC Yates. When she answered, he quickly explained the situation, adding, "If they're in the hospital overnight for observation, they won't be working tomorrow."

"All right, here's what we'll do. I…are you all right to go?"

"Yes, I still have everything I need with me."

"Good. All right, I'll get a couple more agents to Sydney as soon as possible. In the meantime, if you'll please take the case. When the others get there, brief them and then bring our guys home, please. If you feel you're still needed for the case, call and we'll figure it out."

"Got it."

"Thanks, Tim."

He disconnected, briefly thinking of recruiting Tony and then shaking his head, sent Hannah a text. He called home and spoke with his father, saying he would call Artie when he got into Sydney, and would then tell the kids goodnight. Asked about Wilson's wife Lynn, he said Yates would contact her as soon as she had a current status from the hospital.

Grabbing his go bag, he'd use Ty's gear bag, he took Uber to the airport. While waiting to board and on the flight, he studied what was in the case file and the notes from Wilson, Clark and Mercer.

He was happy to be met by a Sydney LEO and was given a ride to the hospital. Dwayne was asleep but looked very much as Hannah described him, 'banged up'. He had a bump on his head that the doctor told Tim was resolving by itself, there was no sign of concussion or internal bleeding, as well as a broken wrist, a bruised tibia, sprained ankle and additional bruises that would be quite colorful. There were no life-threatening or life-altering injuries and Dwayne had not lost consciousness. He had been given a pain reliever for his wrist, leg and ankle and that had lulled him into sleep. With permission, Tim recorded what the doctor said, as well as showing Dwayne's even breathing, sending it to Yates.

Ty also had his share of bruises, along with 2 cracked ribs and a broken arm. Both men were asleep. Tim updated Cassie, asking her to tell Lynn Wilson that Dwayne's sprained ankle would probably give him the most pain and frustration. Neither men had life-threatening or life-altering injuries.

From the hospital, his PD escort took him to the Police Department where he found Hannah. She gave him a sitrep, he looked at the physical evidence from the crime scene and then asked to see the coroner's report. It was late, he assumed the ME would be off duty by now. He was pleasantly surprised to find the man waiting for him as there were some anomalies he wanted to show the agents. After that, he worked with Hannah on the backgrounds of the victims, both U.S. Navy, and what she'd found in tracing their movements since their arrival in Sydney over the weekend. When his phone alarm buzzed, he called Artie, speaking with her and with the children, blowing goodnight kisses over the FaceTime chat.

By 0130, they were pretty sure who their suspects were, 3 thugs known to be members of a drug ring. With the help of Sydney's Metro PD, they threw a large net around the neighborhoods where the thugs were known to hang out. They found all three of them passed out drunk and rolled them into police headquarters. Scouring the sleeping quarters, they found the murder weapons.

By 0500, the thugs were awake, charged and locked up. At 0900, two additional NCIS agents arrived to help and after Hannah briefed them, Tim ordered her to stand down, get some sleep. Tim was very proud of her and told SSAIC Yates that, in his opinion, she was ready for a promotion to SFA.

By Tuesday afternoon, the NCIS agents were leaving the city. Yates requested Marine transport from Darwin and it arrived set up for 6 NCIS agents, 2 injured and 4 upright. When the flight landed at an airfield near Perth, Lynn Wilson, Artie, Glynee and a medical transport met them. While Glynee drove Hannah home, Ty's cracked ribs and broken arm meant he could not stay on his own for the first week or so. The transport delivered Tim and Ty to the McGee home, where the Wilson children were waiting and once they were aboard, the Wilson family was driven home.

The two 'extra' agents would stay on in Perth as TADs until Wilson and Mercer were cleared for the field.

The time difference between Perth and Sydney meant that Tim was home while all of the kids were still awake. Their eyes widened when they saw Ty but he was awake and smiled at them, so they thought he'd be all right. Anna and Artie hadn't met him yet but decided to wait until morning. Ty was helped into the 2nd bedroom downstairs and Tim stayed with him, helping him change into shorts and a tee shirt he had in his go bag. He had a prescription for pain meds that Tim had filled before they left Sydney and Lu brought him a snack and some juice to take the medications.

Once he started to fall asleep, Tim went to find his fiancée, children and the rest of the family. They were all in the family room, waiting for him. Henry was excited, he hadn't known that his daddy took down bad guys. Tim smiled, hugging and kissing everyone. "Glad to be home! Sorry I had to leave like that but Hannah needed help and I was the closest agent."

He looked at Artie, "Unless there's a disaster, that won't happen once we're in the States. There are several teams aboard the Navy Yard and several other offices within driving distance."

She smiled, "Thank you, my love. Your father showed me on a map. He also showed me how far apart your offices are in Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand."

Tim thanked his father, who nodded. After saying goodnight, Artie, Anna and Susannah drove home.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

Having been up all night, Tim slept in Wednesday morning, finally reaching the office around noon. He'd told Hannah not to come in today, they'd call if they needed her, which meant the 2 TADs were the team. Thanking Glynee for her help, Tim sent a text to Lynn Wilson, asking after Dwayne. Her answer was that he was right about the sprained ankle, otherwise his wrist didn't hurt much and his bruises intrigued their children with the coloring.

Cassie called around 4 for a sitrep, which the TAD agents gave her. She sent Tim an email afterwards, agreeing with his assessment of Agent Clark.

When Tim arrived home that evening, he found Susannah and Artie excited about something. Tony grinned at him, "My cousin Nigel is in Singapore on business, brought his wife and kids with him. They want to come here to meet all of you this weekend, I told him we have nice ocean breezes and nowhere near as much humidity as Singapore. They'll fly in Thursday, they're staying at the Merriwa Inn and will stay until Monday or Tuesday. They've offered Susannah a ride with them to the UK. It's earlier than she planned, but she says she's working for her airfare now. And, you know, this flight will be free."

Tim's mouth dropped open and he hugged his brother. "That is so cool, Tony! And great for Susannah, too, I know she's excited about starting her new life."

"I love being able to do this! Nigel says they'll fly into Edinburgh so she can take as much luggage as she wants and then they'll continue to London."

"Wow, door to door transport!"

"Exactly."

"Has she told Ian yet?"

"Yes, he's very happy, busy lining up a van for all her belongings." Tony leaned in, "He's probably panicking as she wasn't due for another 5 weeks. Bet he hasn't cleaned out the closet or bureau drawers."

Tim grinned, "Or cleaned the bathroom and kitchen. He'll have that all done now!" He smiled again, "That means Artie and Anna can move in with us sooner."

"Another win!"

Tim made a face, "I'd better make some room myself!"

"Do they have furniture?"

"No, she rents furnished; that's less expensive than moving everything from country to country every year."

"Hmm, so yes, you need to make room!"

Tim grimaced and then smiled, "I'll pack stuff away, less to pack when we're preparing to leave."

"Good idea. Don't forget those storage tubs for the kids' toys."

"I don't think they'll allow those on commercial flights."

Tony gave him a look, "Probie-Bro, we're flying Paddington Air to DC and I happen to know storage tubs are fine, as long as the lids are securely fastened."

Tim blinked, "I forgot that, Tony, sorry! Yes, I have three rolls of duct tape that will come in handy."

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

From that evening on, time seemed to accelerate. Tim received a letter from Social Services in Maryland, telling him the home inspection had gone well and they would do a follow up once the family moved to Arlington. Tim remembered they'd said it would take several months. As long as Henry and Emma were with him, he wasn't worried. However, he was impatient, wishing the process could be done already.

The McGees and Galanis-Mideis enjoyed meeting Tony's Paddington cousin Nigel, his wife and children, who were 2, 4 and 6. Emma was very pleased to finally have someone at home who was her age to play with! Tony was thrilled that his cousin would come to visit them and Tali was happy to see her cousins, aunt and uncle again. In September, she and her dad spent two weeks with them in London before flying to the U.S.

The visitors spent their long weekend on the beach, doing a little sightseeing in Perth and playing or relaxing in the McGees' backyard. When they left Tuesday, Nigel's wife thanked them for their hospitality and the best tans she, Nigel and the children had ever had and that was after many applications of sunscreen. Susannah had 3 large and 2 smaller suitcases, 2 garment bags, a storage tub full of shoes, three packing boxes full of books and two full of kitchenware and knickknacks, all tucked nicely into the jet's cargo hold. At Susannah's request, Artie took a photo of her sister's 'stash' and sent it to Ian. Tim felt that was thoughtful, letting the man know how much stuff she had with her. Artie smiled, "We traveled light when we were growing up. That becomes harder to do with a child and moving everything." She smiled, "I always bring treasures with me from wherever we've lived."

Tony and Gibbs drove two cars to the airfield, filled with Paddingtons, Susannah and the luggage. Artie, Susannah, Anna and Tim decided to say their goodbyes at home, in private. As Tim hugged his sister-in-law goodbye, he whispered his thanks for her tender loving care of Anna and Artemis. She smiled at that, thinking that Tim and Ian were much alike.

Tim took Artie out to dinner that night, while Anna stayed overnight with her sisters, brothers and cousin. The affianced couple returned to Artemis' home after dinner and Tim stayed over. Most of Anna's belongings were already at the McGees', the rest, along with Artemis', would be moved over the weekend. In the meantime, Tim and Artie determined to have this one night to themselves.

* * *

NOTE: ONE MORE CHAPTER TO THIS STORY; I'LL POST IT LATE SUNDAY. AND THEN...WELL, YOU'LL SEE.


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: As I'm sure many readers are, I've been following the news from Australia about the horrible bushfires in and around Sydney, New South Wales, Victoria, Adelaide, Kangaroo Island and overall affecting Southern Australia. My sympathies, prayers and best wishes to everyone affected. In this chapter, the McGees vacation on Kangaroo Island and in Adelaide, _after_ the deadly fires are out.

* * *

Notes in the Key of Life

Chapter 11

Later, Tim and Artemis admitted to each other that it was a good thing Susannah left earlier than planned. Although Artie and Anna moved into the McGees' home the following weekend, their own deadline was staring them in the face and in the next 8 weeks they'd be busy as they also prepared to move overseas.

Ducky rejoined them in mid-February, saying he wanted to become acquainted with Anna, Artemis and better acquainted with Henry and Emma before the move. To everyone's delight, he brought the Palmers with them. Breena had had a lingering case of bronchitis in January and Dr. Ducky decided she needed a summer vacation to heal completely. Geordie came down from Darwin on leave while the Palmers were there, enjoying meeting more of Tim's NCIS family. Geordie's visit brought more joy to his brother after his years-long deployment. Knowing that he wouldn't be returning to his covert life had removed the constant worry from Tim's heart.

The warm weather, clean ocean air and relaxing with old and new friends certainly helped Breena and the Palmers enjoyed their two weeks in the sun. Victoria and Davey had a wonderful time with their cousins and were happy to meet their new cousins Anna and Tali. The 7 children had wonderful times together, whether they were on the beach, at the park, on the hikes they took with Tony, Jimmy, Grama Lu, Grandpa Charlie, and with Artie and Tim on the weekends. As Breena said later, she never had to lift a finger and she knew her children were having fun, learning all kinds of new things, were safe and being cared for by the other adults. The three grandfathers, Jimmy and Tony took all the children into Perth one day, stopping in at the office for a quick hello to Tim and the others.

Jimmy was excited when his brother Steve flew in from New Zealand for several days, bringing his family. Jimmy's nephews were about the same ages as Victoria and Davey and the four of them had a good time getting to know each other. For Jimmy, this was a dream come true; he and Steve had reconnected on social media after nearly two decades of what Jimmy termed 'benign separation'. There hadn't been trouble between them, more drifting apart as each went their separate ways, first to college on different continents, then establishing their careers, followed by marriage and busy family lives. With so much geographical distance between them, Jimmy never thought he and Breena could afford the expense or the time off to visit his brother.

When the Palmers left for home, they left Granducky behind as he said he couldn't bear the thought of two more months of winter. Breena felt better than she had in years; she certainly had regained her strength and caught up on her sleep. The children were upset but happy again when Jimmy and Tim showed them on a calendar how few days they had to wait until Granducky and the McGees moved home.

While Jimmy's brother was there, Tim spoke with him about visiting New Zealand and the best things for the kids. He already knew they were going to Hobbiton Movie Set, he had to see everything and resolved to read "The Hobbit" to the older children before they went. Steve also recommended a few vacation spots where he and his family had been and Tim made notes.

The first day of autumn, March 1st, was also the Grand Opening of Artemis' Skywalks. She and her family attended the opening ceremony and as the youngest and oldest children, Emma and Anna helped their mother cut the yellow ribbon to officially open Skywalks, which linked several skyscrapers in Perth. Fifteen floors up, the walks were stable, built to withstand hurricane strength winds and 9.5 earthquakes. Four of them intersected in a pedestrian roundabout over one of the busiest streets and two of the busiest intersections in Perth. With the Skywalks now open, thousands of pedestrians, whether office workers, shoppers, apartment dwellers, hotel guests or sightseers could now move safely from their cars or public transportation without having to brave city traffic. The views were spectacular and restaurants and cafes were already building near the end points of each Skywalk, inside the high-rises.

The following day, the household left for their vacation in New Zealand. They had a wonderful time, visiting Hobbiton, having the movie tour and experiencing both Daddy and Mama geeking out at everything Hobbit. After years of teasing Tim about his geekiness, Tony was honored that his brother now trusted him enough to share this experience with him.

Once they had their fill of Hobbiton and everything connected to it, they left for a 'glamping' experience on a lovely beach. 'Glamping', a fairly new phenomena, is camping made glamorous. When Tim first saw the videos of 'glampers', he'd laughed himself silly and knew they had to experience it. He'd thought there was no way he would ever voluntarily sleep in a tent again, but this tent was more of a hut, a very comfortable one, with all the comforts of home. Their tent had enough rooms and beds for Tim, Artie and the five kids. Tali stayed with her dad in a 3 bedroom tent, shared with Grandpa Charlie and Granducky. Poppy and Grama Lu had a tent all to themselves.

That was a lot of fun, especially combined with trips to the beach interspersed with sightseeing around the area. They were close to Auckland and had fun exploring the city in the mornings and swimming in the afternoons. On their way to and from the city, they also explored the smaller towns. One afternoon, Jimmy's brother and his family joined them for a swim and dinner on the beach. That was great and there were several videos and many photos sent to the Palmers that evening.

They returned to Australia before their vacation ended so they could see more of the huge country. In North Queensland, they visited the Great Barrier Reef region where the coast of the Great Barrier Reef touches the edge of the Daintree Rainforest, part of the oldest rain forest in the world. They walked and hiked, even little Emma hiked on her own although she also rode on her daddy's, mama's, Uncle's and Grandpa Charlie's backs. She liked that better because she could see more. They found hidden waterfalls and played in waterholes, always keeping an eye out for critters.

They also connected with some of the oldest cultures on earth and the adults were proud when the children knew quite a bit about the cultures of the indigenous peoples. They later thanked Ms. Joan for the information and stories she'd shared with the children.

From there, they flew to Kangaroo Island, Australia's third-largest island after Tasmania and Melville Island. They'd found an Airbnb home large enough for all of them and, renting the largest van available, they first checked in before heading out again. They visited the conservation park, where many endangered and rare water creatures live. Staying 3 ½ days, they saw everything they wanted to, although there was no such thing as spending 'enough' time with the koalas, kangaroos or their favorite sea creatures. Unfortunately, they also saw incredible devastation as the bushfires in Southern Australia during the late spring and summer had left their mark. Tim and his family had made hefty donations to help but now when they saw some of the damage in person and heard the tales of disaster, they were heartsick.

Flying to Adelaide, also affected by the bushfires, they spent their last day of vacation there, exploring the city, before flying to Perth and home to Merriwa.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

Work felt almost surreal to Tim after vacation and all their visitors. He had one more Field Team and one more Cyber Crime team to train and he started that immediately. The SAIC of the Field Team, located in Korea, was resistant to learning more about Cyber Crimes, saying they should just do their jobs. Tim had deliberately left them until last. He sent the newest statistics, number of shared cases overall within the Southeast Asia Field Office territories, before and after training. He also sent the number of successfully closed shared cases, before and after and those numbers caught the agent's eye. The close rate on those cases, for the territory, had risen from 43% to 85% between October and February. The last report showed the office with the worst stats to be his own. He groaned at that, "Agent McGee, we're holding everyone back! You're right, we need to do this. Where do we start?"

Over the last few months, Tim found that different teams responded in different ways. Accordingly, he'd developed different training modules. Part of his preparation work for each set of teams was to see how each field agent ranked themselves as far as technology. For this team, he felt he was starting from scratch. The CCU manager they worked with told Tim he'd tried everything, including sending them 'cheat sheets' of what they needed, with little success. Tim suspected that this particular SAIC had been hearing success stories from his peers and was finally ready to learn something new. It was about time as he seemed to have attracted three of the agency's most confirmed technophobes to his team.

With that in mind, he started them off on the basic modules, working with them for ten days before he brought the CCU team in. The good thing was, having trained with all the other teams, the CCU teams had shared with each other. Most of the Field teams had shared too, but not with this team. Nevertheless, Tim was pleased with their progress and by the end of March, the Field team had successfully closed three cases shared with their assigned CC team. Time from registering the case to closure had shortened considerably as well.

And that was it, his mission to train the Field Agents and Cyber Crime Techs to work together was complete, at least for the Southeast Asia Field Office, the Far East Field Office and their 13 subordinate offices.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

Every day since their return from vacation, everyone in the household from Granducky to little Emma had helped to sort through toys, clothes and household items that were put into bags to be donated or boxes to be packed. Their flight to the U.S. would leave Perth Friday morning, April 2nd.

They'd decided to see someplace new on the way home and were stopping in Hua Hin, Thailand, for their layover. They'd stay for 3 full days, time to have some fun and do some sightseeing before continuing. Leaving Thailand, they'd fly to Honolulu for another few days before continuing to DC. All in all, they'd leave on the 2nd of April and land in DC on the 10th. They'd have one day twice, once in the air from Thailand to Hawaii and again in Hawaii, where they'd land 14 hours later, only the time zone would make it early the previous morning.

Tony groaned when Tim pointed that out. "Stop, just stop! You know that stuff gives me a headache!'

Ducky smiled at him, "Anthony, you lost a day flying over, now you'll gain it back. Don't think about it beyond that. Or talk about it, please, it also makes my head hurt!" He looked pointedly at Tim who just grinned.

The adults did some research on what they wanted to do in Hua Hin and the result was they'd spend most of their time at a beach resort although they'd also do some sightseeing.

When the others asked about Honolulu, Tim smiled, "Pearl Harbor, the beach, a casual bus tour, hop on and off and more beach. A luau for whoever wants to go. Lots of beach time because our stop after that is DC. We're staying at Charlie's place again." He grinned, "Might even contact our Uber driver, see if he has access to a van or trusts other Uber drivers."

Charlie frowned, "Is that Hal?"

"Does his wife work in a bakery?"

"Yeah, he drives her to work at 3:45 every morning."

"Yes, same guy!"

"His brother also drives for Uber, or used to. Although we'll need a van and a 4 door. You still have his card?"

"Yes and we'll contact him before we leave here. Charlie, on our last trip out here with Tony, when we stopped in Fiji, we were allowed to leave our suitcases aboard the jet, same when Lu and I flew with the SecNav. We took our carry-on bags with us. For 4 days, we'll need more than carry-ons, at least for the kids, but that won't be too bad."

Charlie laughed, "I can do 4 days from a carry-on! I'll bring plastic bags for wet or dirty clothes. And I'll download all my reading material to my tablet so I won't need to take paper books. Although I might need one for the beach."

Gibbs, Ducky and Lu nodded in agreement.

Tim grinned, "We might get away with one suitcase for the girls and one for the boys, plus one each of both of us. Tony?"

"Carry-ons for both of us, Tali will do some schoolwork on the trip and will need her tablet. Definitely a suitcase for each of us, although she might have room for some of your kids' clothes."

"Thanks!"

The week before they left, the Wilsons asked Tim and Artemis to join them for dinner in the city. Dwayne had returned to work a few days after returning from Sydney but had only recently been cleared for the field due to his ankle sprain. Ty would likely be cleared for the field the following week and Tim was thankful both men had been on desk duty before he left the office for the last time.

Dwayne and Lynn picked them up, apologizing for having to stop to fuel their vehicle. On the way into the city, the couple asked questions about their itinerary and packing for travel with so many of them, 14 in all.

Artie laughed at the elaborate planning they'd done. "Although it was more negotiating, I suppose. With 6 children and 8 adults, everyone wants something different. Anna and I lived in Thailand and traveled as much as possible, so she and I probably will stay at the beach while the others go for their sightseeing."

Tim smiled, "I'm torn between staying at the beach or going into the city. Right now, I'm thinking beach."

Lynn shook her head, "All of you make sure you know where the highest point is and what the signs of tsunami are."

Tim nodded. "We do and we will, Lynn, promise! Of course the same goes for here and any beach or coastal location!"

She nodded, "I know and I keep watch. We know where the Tsunami evacuation center is."

Artemis nodded, "We'll also look for those things in Hawaii."

Reaching the restaurant, they parked and the four of them walked toward the entrance. When they entered, the hostess greeted them right away and turned to take them to their table. Just as Tim was thinking that it was nice not to have to wait even when you had reservations, he noticed they were going into a separate part of the restaurant.

He blinked in surprise when the lights were turned up and many people yelled, "Surprise!" Artie actually jumped a little and he took her hand, grinning.

"Wow, you got us!" He turned to Dwayne, "Stopping for fuel, huh?"

The other man smiled, "We had to give the adults in your family time to get in front of us on the road!"

Artie chuckled, "We never suspected!" She was introduced to Cassie Yates and her husband, Mitch Shaw, who'd said they'd flown in from Singapore that afternoon. Cassie smiled, "It's wonderful here, I'm not sweating!"

They all laughed at that. Artie knew almost everyone else, the Wilsons of course, Hannah, Ty, and Glynee. Further introductions were made for their Perth Metro PD liaison officer as well as for the remaining TAD agent who would stay until Ty was cleared for the field.

Tim was surprised that the manager of the Singapore CCU had also flown in. The woman grinned, "Can't let our miracle worker leave without a final thank-you!"

Tim laughed, "Thank you for being my guinea pigs!"

"Hey, I saw the results from that last training, that's a miracle!"

Gibbs laughed at that, saying, "Speaking in defense of technophobes everywhere, at least I was smart enough to hire a field agent who could work with our CCU."

Cassie snorted, "You mean run circles around that particular CCU, Gibbs!"

"Well, yeah, but he gets embarrassed when I brag about him."

Tim cleared his throat, "So…uh, who's watching the kids?"

Lu smiled, "Ms. Joan! With all of us here, we needed several sitters. She volunteered, opening up the center for the evening."

"Wow, that's above and beyond!"

Ducky shook his head, "When we leave, her enrollment is going to drop quite a bit."

"She'll be fine, Ducky, I have faith in her. What they will miss is your story-telling!"

"I, too, will miss that!"

Artie smiled, "The children will be in daycare in Virginia, too, Ducky. Perhaps you will continue there or at children's libraries?"

He smiled happily at her, clearly liking the ideas.

Like the Wilsons, the others wanted to know details of their trip home and the McGee group rotated answering the questions. Cassie asked to see photos of the new house and they all pulled their phones out, generating much laughter around the table.

All in all, it was a wonderful surprise and a great evening. The kids were asleep by the time they reached Ms. Joan's and each was carried out to the various vehicles, making sure the Wilson children were placed in their parents' vehicle.

After Tim turned in the agency sedan, he and Artie thought they'd try to deal with her vehicle and the family wagon. Within a day, he'd rented the largest passenger van available in Merriwa.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

Two days later, Gibbs drove the rental, following Tim as he and Lu delivered the 'family wagon' to its new owner, Ms. Joan! They were happy the SUV would have a good home and more adventures in Merriwa. That same day, Geordie arrived with his belongings, that is, his sea bag. He was now officially in the reserves and couldn't wait to get home.

He would begin college courses during the summer, some of them refresher courses and some new, with a goal of earning his Masters and Doctorate. His plan was to teach U.S. history at university level.

He was happy to help sort and pack, although he was perhaps more enthusiastic about sorting and donating than he was at packing. Of all the former camp mates, he was the most efficient about letting things go. From what he could see now, Tim had become a bit of a hoarder. How many pairs of shoes did one guy need, anyway?

When he asked their father, Jethro smiled, "Shoes for work, boots for crime scenes, nice shoes for dates, church shoes that can be worn with suits, sandals for days you're in the sun, flip-flops for the beach or pool, hiking boots, and sneakers or athletic shoes for pick-up games – basketball or baseball."

When Geo just blinked at him, Dad laughed, "How many pair do you have?"

"Boots, dress and flip-flops."

"Need sandals and sneakers."

"How come you have boots for crime scenes and hiking boots?"

"We don't wear crime scene boots anywhere else. They get stuff on them. You do not want to contaminate a crime scene with bits of whatever you were hiking through."

"Huh, good point. Tim has 12 pairs of shoes!"

"He has several suits, different colors. He won't wear the same color shoes with every color of suit. He also gardens and keeps his gardening sneakers in a plastic bag; they're hard to clean off sometimes. He also has another pair of sneakers and a couple of pairs of sandals. His size is hard to find so sometimes he buys two or more pairs of sneakers at a time. He brought his snow and rain boots with him. They're not needed here but they are in DC.

"Geordie, he didn't pack his clothes or anything else when they moved Delilah to San Diego. They had three days' notice. Some of our friends went to the house and packed up the whole place for them. Most of that was also shipped from San Diego to here. Lu did clean out Delilah's designer shoe collection and sold most of them, they'd never been walked in. She also sorted her clothes, keeping some things to make memory quilts for the twins. The rest of her clothes were sold on consignment or donated. Except for her wedding dress, Tim asked that be kept, thinking Lizbet might want it."

"I forgot about all that."

Dad rubbed his shoulder, "You weren't there, kiddo. Hard to keep up, I remember! But you're here now. We're all so thankful you're coming home with us! I do need to tell you that Tim likes to be comfortable and eat well when he travels. He's got plenty of money so there's no reason he shouldn't."

Geo rolled his eyes and with a grin, the two got back to work sorting and packing.

The moving company representative had visited two weeks before, getting an idea of how much there was to move. He gave them a stack of labels, asking them to label each group of items and to note which room each would go to in the new house. He smiled, "Not that I'll be there, mind you, but it will be helpful for your movers at the other end. Also, mark a separate label with FRAGILE for each item that is fragile. Don't take it for granted that movers will treat a TV or something obvious as breakable. If it's not labeled as such, they're not necessarily going to treat it as such. Now, we'll be here at 7:30 AM Friday, April 2nd. I know you'll be gone already, who will have the key?"

Lynn Wilson had already volunteered to do that, so they gave him her contact information, adding that she lived less than a mile away. She already had the key and when the movers were finished, she'd pass it to the real estate agent tasked with renting the house again. Lynn had been through the house with Lu, Tim and Artie and felt confident she could answer any questions that came up.

"Good, that'll make things easier."

"Do you have any idea how long you'll be here? We have a cleaning service coming in on Saturday, the 3rd."

"We'll be here all day Friday, probably won't get out of here until between 5 and 6. Thanks for agreeing to pack all the knickknacks and glassware, that saves us hours!"

"We're taking all the artwork with us on the plane."

"You want to do that? Will it be secure?"

Tim grinned, "My brother has access to a private jet."

"Wow, that's something! Ok, so no artwork, that'll also speed things up a bit. Anything you don't want to risk breaking, please take with you. You have a long trip ahead of you and so do your belongings. You fly, they'll float. We'll get your things to the shipper late Friday night, they're scheduled to sail on Sunday; figure 3 weeks from Sunday for their earliest arrival."

Tim nodded, "Will do, thanks!"

The man left several wardrobe boxes and dozens of packing boxes of varying sizes. Rather than buying more storage tubs, they used the boxes for the kids' toys and books. The Big Wheels were going home with them as well as the various bicycles in their possession.

They'd rented a truck to get everything to the airfield. The jet was already there and would be unlocked and ready to load cargo at 6 AM. The truck and van would have to be returned but the rental place had a shuttle that would take them to the airfield. As Tony said, the jet wouldn't leave without them!

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

Friday, April 2nd! After a restless night, Tim and Charlie were up at 4:00 AM, threw their clothes on and went downstairs, not surprised to find Geordie, Lu and Dad also awake. They had frozen breakfasts for everyone as well as pastries and plenty of coffee. They were taking their supply of coffee on the plane with them, for their various layovers. The luggage had been moved downstairs last night.

Once Tim and Geo ate, also inhaling large mugs of coffee, they started hauling boxes to the truck. Although Gibbs promised not to lift anything over 40 pounds, there were plenty of boxes under that weight and he helped. A bleary-eyed Tony joined them and he and Charlie got to work as did Lu and Artie, who appeared downstairs shortly after Tim. The sooner they got everything loaded, the sooner they could wake Ducky and the children and get them moving.

By 5:00, they had the boxes, storage tubs and large objects like the Big Wheels and bicycles loaded, covered and tied down. The suitcases went in next and then it was time to wake the others. When they went back into the house, they found Ducky had already wakened the kids and was packing last minute items into their carry-ons. The kids were dressed and eating breakfast. Jace grinned, "This is like going on vacation again!"

Tim picked him up and kissed him, loving his excitement and enthusiasm.

By 5:30, everyone was ready to roll. They'd searched the house multiple times, finding no stray items. Teeth and hair were brushed, hands and faces washed and the younger kids made a trip to the bathroom. Gibbs checked the coffee three times to make sure it was in the van. The children were put in their safety seats, with Artie driving, Lu, Dad, Ducky and Geordie riding with them. Tim, Tony and Charlie rode in the truck, with Tim driving. Waving goodbye to the house that had been their home for the past 16 months, they left Merriwa. Tim told Artie earlier than he was very glad that they already had their next home, knew what it looked like, otherwise leaving this house would have been even more difficult than it was.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

By 7:00, everything was loaded into the cargo area of the jet and the crew was moving things to balance the weight. The truck and van had been returned, and the children's safety seats fastened securely in the jet. Carry-on bags went on, along with Gibbs' precious coffee, and then the children were taken aboard. By 7:30, everyone had boarded and one of their flight crew told them they'd been cleared for an early takeoff.

They cheered as they buckled up and within minutes were waving out the windows, saying goodbye to Australia. Tim kissed Artemis as the jet reached altitude. "Welcome to the rest of our lives!"

She laughed, "I know, I'm so excited!"

They had a 2nd breakfast, which made them think of their tour of 'The Shire' in 'Hobbiton, the Movie Set' they'd visited in New Zealand, about an hour later, along with plenty of hot chocolate, hot tea and strong, hot coffee. After their trays were collected, Tim relaxed and before he knew it, fell fast asleep.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

He woke when the plane started its descent into Hua Hin airspace and watched out the window. One by one, everyone else woke. The kids were amazed that they were almost there! As Tali said, "Usually when you're waiting for something good to happen, it takes a long time!"

Anna giggled, "It's because we all fell asleep!"

Lu nodded, "Yes, and this is a very quiet aircraft! We slept and there aren't any other people making noises."

On the ground, they gathered their carry-ons and the few suitcases they wanted and then waited for their transportation. They smiled as a small bus pulled up and the driver welcomed them to Thailand. Soon they were checking into their lodgings on the beach.

The kids looked around, noticing how different it looked from their beach in Merriwa. Although the beach was sandy, there were far more trees and greenery than on 'their' beach.

They spent the rest of the afternoon at the beach, splurging on lunch from an outdoor café. Sunset would be at 6:30 that evening, so by 5:45 everyone was out of the water and drying off. Gathering their belongings, the group left the beach a little after 6, carrying Emma, Jace and Lizbet, who'd played themselves out. Henry made it halfway before he was also scooped up. With a tired but happy sigh, he rested his head on Uncle Geordie's shoulder.

Some of the adults went into Hua Hin on Saturday, while the others were on the beach with the kids again. Today the beachcombers took naps under their broad beach umbrellas.

On Sunday, they took an afternoon half day tour of an Elephant Jungle Sanctuary. They were picked up at the hotel in a shuttle bus and conveyed to the sanctuary. As this was the elephants' natural home, the group first observed them from a distance, playing and feeding on their own. Later, the group hiked a bit to watch the elephants play in mud baths. At the end of the tour, they ate from a delicious Thai buffet. For days afterward, the children talked about the elephants and the fun they'd had watching them.

Tim and Artie went into the city Monday morning, returning in time to spend their last few hours on the beach. After dinner, they all took naps, waking up around 9:00 PM. Quickly packing, doing several sweeps to make sure nothing was left behind, the same driver and small bus returned, helping them load and driving them back to the airfield as the children chattered about their adventures. At the airfield, the jet was ready. Putting the suitcases back in cargo, the load was again balanced while the passengers boarded and took their seats. At midnight, under a flood-lit tarmac, the jet rolled down the runway, taking off. Their next stop: Honolulu, Hawaii!

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

That next leg of the trip had the longest flight, nearly 14 hours. By boarding at midnight, all the children and most of the adults slept several hours. Tim and Artie were awake off and on, moving to an unoccupied part of the jet to talk and get a little cozy for a couple of hours before dozing off again. When everyone was awake, about 4 hours out from Honolulu, they did some exercises, including the always fun "Heads, Shoulders, Knees and Toes" which the older folks found was more exertion than they remembered. Especially when singing it faster led to some decent, if brief, real exercise. After that, they were restless and nobody went back to sleep. The adults and most of the kids walked while Tali did her schoolwork. The adults read, talked and played games, either on their phones or with each other. Jethro and Lu played cribbage.

After enjoying a hot breakfast, everyone brushed their teeth and washed up. Almost everyone was up and walking again when the pilot announced they were an hour out from Honolulu. For the rest of the flight, the travelers were glued to the windows.

They landed at 7:00 AM, April 5th. They'd left Thailand at 12:01 AM April 6th.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

Tim, Lu and Charlie grinned at each other as they waved to Hal, their friendly Uber driver, and his brother Stan. Hal was standing next to a 16 passenger van while Stan had a mini-van. After the children's safety seats were in, the children were seated, their parents and Ducky around them. Lu, Jethro, Charlie and Geordie rode with Stan and all the layover bags and suitcases.

They'd arranged for an early check-in, also requesting they be on the same floor. When they arrived, the concierge greeted each one, draping leis around their necks. At Charlie's request, a photo was taken with all of them.

As they'd be here for 4 full days, the McGees unpacked their carry-ons and suitcases. The children were restless, so Tim and Artie let the others know where they were going, and remembering Emma's swim mat, headed for the pool. It wasn't yet 8:00 AM, and although the skies were clear, the morning temperatures were still a little low for swimming in the ocean. The pool felt good! Tim smiled when his brothers, Tali and his parents joined them. Lu reported that Charlie and Ducky had gone for a walk. Tim grinned, "Charlie has his favorite spots here. I bet when we go to the beach, he'll tell us where he usually sets up."

The pool was still heated, normally it was heated during the winter months through April. That helped and the family could watch the beach from the pool terrace. Within an hour, Ducky and Charlie walked down the beach, saw them and came up the stairs. With a smile, Charlie asked if anyone wanted anything to eat or drink. Ducky wanted tea, the rest of the adults wanted coffee and some of the children were hungry. Charlie pulled a menu out from the bar. "Bartender isn't here until 10, but they leave menus and we'll order by phone. And yes, the terrace is full service, we can eat out here too."

Jace, Anna and Henry wanted pancakes while Lizbet, Tali and Emma wanted cinnamon toast. They all had chocolate milk, a big treat in the McGee family. Most of the adults ordered something, if not a meal, then toast or fruit and coffee or tea.

After enjoying their second breakfast, Charlie showed Tim, Geo and Tony his favorite spots on the beach. They planted umbrellas, putting large blankets and some of the hotel's beach chairs under each one. They'd only intended to save the spot but by the time they'd finished, the rest of the group joined them. Within a few minutes, lounges were in place, one for each adult and Ducky declared he might just stay here. Charlie nodded at that, "See why I recommend this place and keep coming back? They understand service and pamper their guests."

The lifeguards were in place before 9 AM and Charlie took the kids and their parents to meet those he recognized.

Aside from Emma's mid-afternoon nap, when she and her daddy returned to their suite, the group spent the day on the beach. As they were on beach property, it wasn't crowded. Someone dropped off lunch menus around 11, returning later to take their orders.

The kids had a wonderful time in the water with their grandparents, parents and uncles. They played along the shoreline, sitting in the sand with their beach toys. With all the kids used to swimming in the ocean, the older ones, Tali, Anna and Henry, were allowed to swim out a few feet, as long as at least one of their adults was with them. Tony accompanied them while Lizbet and Jace rode on Daddy and Uncle Geo's backs into the waves, laughing in delight when they were dunked. Not quite 2, Emma stayed closer to shore while her grandparents played with her, pulling her swim mat through the wavelets. When she wasn't playing in the waves, she was sitting in the wet sand, building a sand castle. When the other kids came in to help her, she was thrilled and immediately assumed the role of boss, telling them where she wanted the castle walls. She frowned when a bigger wave flooded her castle. Marching to the waves coming in, she stomped her foot in the water, "That wasn't nice! Don't do that again or I'll tell my daddy!"

Coming to the rescue, Artie showed her a better spot to build and showed her how to channel the water around the castle, that is, into a moat. Emma was happy again and soon had her faithful servants, er, her siblings and Tali, helping her rebuild, putting a wide and deep moat around the castle.

By early evening, the kids and adults were tired. Leaving the umbrellas, lounges and chairs, they gathered their towels and toys, walking across the beach to the stairs to the pool terrace. Washing off their feet and flip-flops, they returned to their rooms. They'd have dinner together tonight, mostly because they were too tired to want to go out.

Eating in the hotel restaurant, they were pleased with the local cuisine and fresh foods. No one lingered at the table, by the time they finished, it was all they could do to walk across the lobby to the elevators. They may have gained a day but their bodies were still dealing with jet lag!

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

By morning, the group was refreshed. Today, the grandparents and Uncle Geo would watch the children for a few hours so Tim, Artie and Tony could have some time on their own. Tony opted to stay, Tali was in class and he knew Tim and Artie hoped for time alone. He had fun, he and Geordie were discovering they had more in common than Tim and their nieces and nephews.

Tim and Artie spent their free time in their suite, by themselves. For a few days, they'd considered surprising everyone and getting married here but Artie wanted Susanne, Ian and her Yaya, grandmother, there while Tim hoped all of his siblings and friends would be with him.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

Two days later, the group returned to the airfield, ready for the last leg of their journey. Similar to their departure from Thailand, they were aboard a few minutes early, all their belongings, including all the treasures they'd purchased here, stowed. They were in the air at 11:00 PM, right on time, giving them an arrival time of 1:00 PM the following day, April 10th.

They'd had a wonderful time in Hawaii. Besides their hours on the beach, they'd taken the hop off/on bus tour and everyone visited Pearl Harbor. The children were told the story before they went. Ducky, who'd been 8 years old in 1941, remembered that his parents were upset when they heard about it, decrying the attack and the loss of so many lives. He also remembered that they, and their neighbors, were relieved as it meant the U.S. would now officially join the war. The UK had already been at war for two years, since 1939.

What Tim would always remember about that stopover in Honolulu was that he was finally able to spend more time with his daughter Anna, solidifying their relationship. His oldest child had a sunny disposition and was smart, sweet, imaginative, inquisitive and full of love for her new siblings, cousin, papa and grandparents. She was also, as Charlie said, a 'cuddle bunny'. That was fine with her papa, also a cuddle bunny.

For Tony, Geordie and the other adults, the time in Hawaii and their earlier stop eased their fears that Tim was rushing into things with Artemis. They liked the woman, all were fond of her, but worried about Tim's quick acceptance of her reappearance in his life, in essence picking up where they'd left off years ago. Now that both were relaxed, off work and had time alone as well as with the children, the others witnessed the deep connection between the two, the love and the trust that each had in the other, for the other, especially after Artemis was finally able to share what led to her rejections of Tim and their relationship, first at MIT and then years later in Boston.

Having finally broken away from her overbearing parents, Artie had gradually come into her own, realizing how Kosmos had manipulated her, and her sister, all their lives, although she'd never considered that he was cruel enough to have lied about Tim's death. Her travels and her work helped broaden her thinking, as well as becoming a mother and raising her own child. While her life satisfied her, she never stopped grieving for her lost love, blaming herself for the fear that had her pushing Tim away. Eventually, with help, she was able to transfer that blame to Kosmos but that didn't diminish her grief for Tim and what might have been.

She was always thankful that she had his child. Even as a baby, there were things about Anna that reminded Artemis of her lost lover, not just her features or eye color, but her personality as it developed. The little girl was endlessly curious, smart, imaginative, loving and thoughtful.

Now, as the jet reached altitude, Artie smiled at her love, grateful he was alive and that they were together. She couldn't wait to get to America, to move into their new home. They were already planning their wedding, to be held outdoors on the property. With the exception of her parents, the two of them wanted to invite everyone they knew, from Artie's grandmother, Susannah and her boyfriend Ian to their professors and Artie's legal guardians at MIT to the school secretary in Baltimore who'd helped the McGee children when they were in school there. They wanted to share their joy in each other, their children and family, with everyone they knew.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

Although it was another long flight, over 9 hours, to Washington, DC, no one seemed to mind. The adults were looking forward to being home, their first taste of home in Hawaii had whetted their appetites for more.

While Charlie wasn't sure how long he'd stay in Virginia, his home in Arizona had lost its appeal; he couldn't remember how he passed the time there. Now his life was full, not only with his grandchildren but with his son-in-law, his fellow grandparents, Tony and Geordie. Maybe the heat, humidity and snow didn't matter as much as he thought.

As they flew, Tony was thinking of the woman he'd met at breakfast in Virginia in October, Maggie Barnes. Smiling to himself, he admitted she was not his usual type and she reminded him of Ziva in only one way, she was a warrior. Perhaps not a ninja, he didn't know yet, but being a Marine Captain certainly made her a warrior. He liked that, finding her far more interesting than most women he'd dated and hoped she'd agree to see him, even if just for coffee, while he and Tali were in Virginia.

That led to thinking about returning to the UK and their home in Jaxton and he realized he didn't want to leave his family. Oh sure, they'd visit the UK, but he wasn't ready to be so far away from these people again. He'd talk with Tali, see if she would mind continuing in her online school. That way, they could travel to and from Arlington and Jaxton without her having to miss classes and she would have plenty of children to play with in Arlington as well as her Paddington cousins in London. Remembering mention of a cottage on Tim's property, he thought about renting it from him. Or perhaps he could rent one of the suites, that might be better for Tali, continuing to live in the same house as her cousins and grandparents.

From his seat next to his love, Jethro watched his sons with immense satisfaction. He thought Tony was ready to move forward with his life again and Tim had already moved forward. Once they got settled into the house, he and Lu would marry, he'd already asked and she'd said yes. They wanted a quiet wedding, with only the family in attendance. Of course, with their combined family and the extended family, that was quite a few people! Still, he knew they both wanted all their loves with them.

Moving his feet and legs, which tended to stiffen if not moved every few minutes, Jethro gave thanks for his recovery, both psychologically and emotionally. The nightmares had lessened considerably and his physical recovery was nearly as complete as it would be. He'd never be able to return to the field, but once he was finally cleared psychologically, he planned to retire and then consult with NCIS. He didn't want to work full-time and hoped he'd find consulting enough of a contribution to satisfy him.

He grinned at Lu as he stood up, "Want to take a stroll with me?"

She smiled, "Always!"

Ducky watched his old friend and his love walk by him and he smiled, happy that Jethro had found a lasting love again and that his friend's recovery was almost complete. It had been a long haul, 11 months since his rescue, but once Jethro was home with Tim, the children, Lu and himself, he realized how much he was loved and that certainly helped. Thinking of being loved made the doctor smile to himself again, hoping that Breena was right. She'd sent him an email while they were in Hawaii.

Curious about his mentor and surrogate father's life, Jimmy had inveigled several stories of the man's younger years from him. One of them had featured a lovely young lady he met in London at a Robert Burns Night celebration. Later, going through his boxes of photos, he'd found one with his Maisie, the woman he'd left behind to go out into the world to save lives, and showed it to Jimmy and Breena, who, bless her heart, had framed the photo for him.

In her email, Breena said that she'd been in a grocery store recently and seemed to run into two older women in every aisle she entered. One of the women looked vaguely familiar but she couldn't pin down who she was or where they might have met. Breena said she finally decided she must have been a visitor to Breena's family's mortuary and let it go at that. When she got in line to pay for her groceries, she realized that once again she was behind the two older women. The familiar-looking woman said something and the other one shook her head in laughter, saying, "Maisie Stirling Hubbard, I can't believe you said that!"

Breena's email went on to say that she finally realized the familiar woman looked like an older version of Ducky's Maisie. Ducky was gobsmacked when he read this and had to sit for a few minutes to absorb the possibility that his Maisie was in the U.S. and possibly in the Metro DC area. One of his next thoughts was that he'd take Maisie's photo to Kasie and ask her to use the aging software on it. Or perhaps Jimmy could do it, that would be easier. Yes, as wonderful and interesting as living in Australia had been, he was now quite happy to be going home.

Geordie watched his family affectionately. Of all of them, he thought he was the most relieved to return home. He'd been away too long and braved too many odds but somehow made it back. Over the past few years, he'd come to realize that, although he was proud to be a Marine and proud of the work he'd done, he was growing older and lonelier. Finally he'd come face to face with the idea that he did not have to stay in Special Ops, that he could transfer out and still be useful to his country. When his last birthday brought him envelopes with birthday cards full of teasing about his age, he was surprised. He hadn't thought much about his age, although he was always thankful to still be alive. And he'd forgotten his dream of someday becoming a history professor, sharing his interest in all the twists and turns of history with others. Now he felt he was running behind, he'd missed too much. Yes, it was for a good reason but he was feeling the pull to move on with his life.

Noticing his new dad with Lu, he felt calmer. They were starting a new life together, he was alive and well, there was no reason he could not also have a happy life ahead of him. He was finally home, he'd already been accepted to a university close to Arlington, he'd take several refresher courses while working toward his Masters and Doctorate. In the meantime, he'd live in Arlington and be part of Tim's family.

NCIS NCIS NCIS NCIS

The group slept, walked, exercised, played with the children, ate two delicious meals, watched a movie or two with the kids and walked some more. When the jet began its descent into DC airspace, they were all awake and had their belongings packed into their carry-on bags.

They grinned at the small bus waiting for them as they disembarked, it was the same kind they'd had in Thailand! A second vehicle, a small moving truck, was on hand for all their luggage, bicycles, Big Wheels, boxes and storage tubs. The kids' safety seats were transferred without a hitch, the kids climbed into the bus with the adults finding seats once the littles were settled.

The bus led the way, the truck following closely, as they made their way from the airfield to the house in Arlington. As they drove through the gates, they waved to their Baltimore brothers and the Palmers, waiting for them on the front porch.

Once everyone was out of the bus, Tim and Artie led the way, walking hand in hand to the front door, saying hello as they walked through the crowd who were cheering, stomping, whistling and applauding. When the couple reached the door, Tim opened it before turning towards his fiancée and their family. The crowd grew quiet as, with a smile, Tim gestured for everyone to enter, "Welcome Home!"

The End

* * *

Thank you for coming along for this story. Stay tuned for more of my Tim tales!


End file.
